Schwerin (dpa/mv) - Regardless of the forthcoming dissolution of the MV Foundation for Climate and Environmental Protection, which is financed with Russian funds, the campaign "digging for trees. Children plant for the climate" continues. This year, children from 150 day-care centers would take part in the project. Last year more than 300 institutions took part. The action is therefore a great success, said foundation manager Christin Klinger on Thursday in Schwerin.
The second planting campaign had already started in Schwerin in June, but the majority of the trees and shrubs will now be planted in autumn. The foundation grants 500 euros each for the purchase of trees and plants for the respective daycare site, said Klinger. She referred to the promise of the state government to continue climate protection projects initiated by the foundation under the umbrella of the state energy and climate protection agency (LEKA) and to finance them with state funds. "We invite everyone interested in climate protection to realize their ideas with us. Every commitment counts," said Klinger.
The foundation was set up by the state in early 2021 to promote climate protection and at the same time to support the completion of the Russian-German Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline. The main financier of the foundation was the Gazprom subsidiary Nord Stream 2 AG with 20 million euros. Critics speak of a sham foundation in which climate protection was only intended to cover up the actual purpose of completing the gas pipeline while circumventing the threat of US sanctions. The board of directors around ex-government Erwin Sellering (SPD) has announced his resignation for September. This should pave the way for the end of the foundation.
