The European Investment Bank (EIB) is providing €500 million in long-term promotional loans to support climate adaptation and flood protection projects in Germany’s Emscher-Lippe region. The funding will benefit the Emschergenossenschaft and Lippeverband (EGLV), two regional water management associations, enabling them to implement vital infrastructure projects, including river restoration, dyke rehabilitation, pumping station upgrades, and retention basin expansions. The loans, with a term of 30 years and favourable interest rates, will help spread investment costs over time, keeping local charges affordable while providing better protection against heavy rainfall and flooding for hundreds of thousands of residents.
These investments build on a decades-long partnership between the EIB, Emschergenossenschaft, and Lippeverband, which has already achieved major successes such as the ecological restoration of the Emscher River and the modernization of wastewater treatment systems. By focusing on preventive flood protection measures, the project aims to reduce potential damage to private property and public infrastructure while strengthening climate resilience in urban districts.
EIB Vice-President Nicola Beer emphasized that the loans will allow municipalities to implement high-investment projects without placing undue financial pressure on local residents. Prof. Dr Uli Paetzel, Chair of the Executive Board of EGLV, highlighted that the financing model enables gradual adjustments to wastewater charges while ensuring timely completion of projects for community benefit.
This initiative is part of the EIB’s broader support for climate and water infrastructure in Germany, where over the past decade the bank has provided more than €3.3 billion for long-term investments in cities including Berlin, Hamburg, Cologne, and Augsburg. Since 2011, the EIB has also financed €2.1 billion in loans for the restoration of the Emscher River, once known as “Germany’s dirtiest river,” demonstrating the bank’s ongoing commitment to environmental improvement and climate resilience.
The Emschergenossenschaft, founded in 1899, and the Lippeverband, established in 1926, are Germany’s largest cooperative water management associations. Together, they manage extensive river basins, wastewater collection and treatment, and flood protection infrastructure, including over 780 km of watercourses, 1,533 km of sewers, more than 500 pumping stations, and 59 wastewater treatment plants, employing around 2,000 people. Their work ensures both clean water and climate-resilient infrastructure across the Ruhr region.
The EIB itself, as the European Union’s long-term lending institution, prioritizes investments aligned with EU strategic goals, including climate change mitigation, environmental protection, digital innovation, and social infrastructure. Nearly 60% of its annual financing directly supports climate and environmental projects, reinforcing the bank’s role in driving sustainable development and long-term resilience across Europe.
