Millions in funding for AI projects in natural climate protection

05.04.2024

Source: Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation, Nuclear Safety and Consumer Protection

The Federal Ministry for the Environment (BMUV) has launched a new call for funding to support digital projects with artificial intelligence (AI) that are intended to advance natural climate protection.

With a budget of around 24 million euros from the Natural Climate Protection Action Programme (ANK), innovative applications are to be funded that, for example, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, promote biodiversity or contribute to climate adaptation.

Federal Environment Minister Steffi Lemke emphasizes the importance of natural climate protection and the potential of AI to tackle the triple crisis in the environment, nature and climate. The funding is to be used to improve the condition of domestic ecosystems and exploit the potential of AI for environmental and climate protection.

In particular, AI solutions are being sought that are based on machine learning methods and can be used in a variety of ways, for example for environmental monitoring, the identification of protective measures or the development of protection strategies. Cooperation between science, business, municipalities and start-ups is expressly welcomed.

The planned AI applications should have a positive environmental balance and make a clear contribution to solving ecological challenges. The initiative is part of the German government's digital strategy and aims to make Germany and Europe a leading AI location.

Interested parties can submit their project outlines until May 17, 2024. Zukunft - Umwelt - Gesellschaft (ZUG) gGmbH is the project management organization responsible for the AI Lighthouses funding initiative.

The call for funding and the Natural Climate Protection Action Programme can be accessed online.