Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania: Controversial climate foundation starts next tree planting campaign

Schwerin (dpa/mv) - The controversial foundation for climate and environmental protection MV continues its work regardless of the dissolution sought by the state government and state parliament.

Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania: Controversial climate foundation starts next tree planting campaign

Schwerin (dpa/mv) - The controversial foundation for climate and environmental protection MV continues its work regardless of the dissolution sought by the state government and state parliament. As the foundation announced, on Friday it started the second round of the campaign "digging for trees. Children plant for the climate" with children and educators from the nature daycare center in Schwerin. She called on other day care centers to register. The foundation grants 500 euros each for the purchase of trees and plants for the respective day-care center site.

Only last week, the foundation, which is largely financed with money from Russian gas deals, surprised everyone by announcing that it would publish a children's book on climate protection. For school classes, the foundation organizes the "Smart Minds for the Climate" competition with prize money of 3,000 euros. However, the Ministry of Education in Schwerin had already announced in April - with reference to the dissolution of the foundation decided by the state parliament and state government because of Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine - that projects of the foundation would not be supported.

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: to complete 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. Then the way should be paved for the end of the foundation. Their dissolution is legally controversial. According to the Ministry of Justice, an amendment to the statute is currently being considered.