Ärzteversorgung Westfalen-Lippe invests $30 million in GCPF

The pension fund Ärzteversorgung Westfalen-Lippe has invested $ 30 million in the Global Climate Partnership Fund (GCPF). Apart from Deutsche Bank, which is also responsible for managing the fund, the occupational insurance carrier is the first private company to invest in this new concept. The German Federal Ministry of the Environment, the Danish Foreign Ministry, the KfW and the International Finance Corporation (World Bank Group) have already invested in the GCPF as public investors.

The Global Climate Partnership Fund, which was set up in 2010 by the German Federal Environment Ministry and KfW, aims to attract public and private sector investors and use the invested funds to help reduce greenhouse gas emissions in developing countries and emerging economies. The Global Climate Partnership Fund focuses on delivering financing for projects in the area of energy efficiency and renewable energies. In doing so, the fund primarily cooperates with local banks so that, in addition to meeting its environmental objectives, it also has a positive effect on the local economy.

The fund already has commitments of $ 234 million from investors. To date, $ 153 million of the pledged capital has been invested in projects in emerging economies and developing countries. The projects supported by the Global Climate Partnership Fund are selected by a committee composed of investor representatives. The committee evaluates the economic attractiveness of the investments as well as their effective contribution to climate protection.

Dr Andreas Kretschmer, Managing Director of Ärtzeversorgung Westfalen-Lippe, stated: "We regard sustainable development as an important factor in enabling us to invest our members' assets successfully. The Global Climate Partnership Fund allows us to actively contribute to climate protection through a long-term investment concept."

Jürgen Fitschen, Co-Chairman of the Management Board and the Group Executive Committee of Deutsche Bank AG, said: "We are pleased to be able to provide an effective contribution to combatting climate change, together with other investors, through the Global Climate Partnership Fund. This fund shows that climate protection projects can also be financially attractive."

Ursula Heinen-Esser, Parliamentary State Secretary in the German Federal Ministry of the Environment, said: "The Global Climate Partnership Fund is an outstanding project within our international climate initiative. With our initial investment, we wanted to mobilise additional funds for "green" investments in developing countries and emerging markets. The commitment by Ärzteversorgung Westfalen-Lippe shows that this is working. We look forward to seeing the fund continue to flourish in the future."

Dr Norbert Kloppenburg, member of the Executive Board of the KfW Banking Group, said: "We are exceptionally pleased about the investment by Ärzteversorgung Westfalen-Lippe. Firstly, because environmental and climate financing is one of the KfW's main areas of focus, and secondly because the bank always aims to achieve private-sector involvement with a view to facilitating economically sustainable growth in partner countries. The positive resonance generated by the Global Climate Partnership Fund confirms we have the right strategy."

Further information on the Global Climate Partnership Fund is available at www.gcpf.lu

For further information please contact:

Deutsche Bank AG
Press & Media Relations
Dr Klaus Winker
Tel. +49 69 910 32249
E-mail: klaus.winker@db.com