The KfW Development Bank hosts a regular event called the "Development Finance Forum" (DFF) to discuss a timely subject in development cooperation with professionals from across the globe. On October 6th and 7th, 2018, discussions centered on how protecting biodiversity is linked to climate change. KfW released a supplement in D+C/E+Z for the duration of the DFF. Each donation will be posted independently on our website. Here, we discuss KfW's efforts to protect climate-resilient habitats in Laos and Vietnam.
It's a big region full of trees, bushes, and a verdant jungle. There is a direct route from central Vietnam into Laos's Xe Sap National Park, covering approximately 1,335-km² in southern Lao PDR.

Large swaths of forest serve as vital carbon sinks and home to several at-risk species. As key reservoirs for excess carbon dioxide, they provide an inherent assurance against climate change. Unfortunately, slash-and-burn agriculture, illicit wood trade, forbidden hunting of endangered species, and poaching all pose threats to the biodiverse natural world.

KfW Development Bank, acting on behalf of the German Federal Government's climate change initiative, is funding a program to protect the national park in Laos, as well as three other conservation areas in Vietnam and two forest corridors, all with the goal of preserving biodiversity and significantly aiding efforts to combat climate change.

There are several facets to managing a protected area. Support is provided to locals so that they may maintain their village woodlands in a sustainable manner. "We also educate rangers to conduct periodic inspections," said Adrian Klocke, Portfolio Manager. The young guys live in encampments, sleeping on tiny beds in sleeping bags on the ground. They often go on patrols, where they sometimes come upon illegal poachers' encampments and animal traps. During their patrols along the Vietnamese and Laotian borders, rangers have destroyed more than 35 animal traps every day, on average, over the previous 12 months. Camera traps set up by rangers are activated whenever an animal comes within a certain distance. The results may then be used to derive inferences about the park's biodiversity.

Human participation is essential for the success of climate and ecological protection efforts. So that locals don't have to access the protected areas to gather fruit, harvest wood illegally, or poach, new ways are being found for them to earn money. KfW funds non-profits and youth organizations that perform music, theater, and dance in rural areas to raise awareness about the need of conservation.

Typical Asian villages may be found there. Children in shorts and T-shirts go barefoot on the ground as they pass huts constructed on stilts. Laundry is hanging out the window to dry, and some mothers are holding newborns. Villagers tell us that they were previously unaware of the protected area's boundaries, but that they now pay close attention to it and benefit economically from it by cultivating bananas and rice and raising chickens and fish to sell at the local market.

Meanwhile, the battle against poaching is more crucial than ever because of the global coronavirus epidemic. Years ago, it was common practice all throughout Vietnam and Laos to hunt and eat native species, as well as to exchange them with other nations. This meant there was a significant opportunity for the animals' potentially deadly infections to spread to retail outlets and food service establishments. Many wildlife merchants have been assisted by the project's initiatives, leading to the cessation of their activity. Many fewer wildlife trafficking violations are being reported at retail establishments including restaurants, stores selling traditional medicines, and marketplaces.