Almost 600 forest owners in Luxembourg have applied for Klimabonus
Sebastian Unrau, Unsplash
The Klimabonus programme, which supports sustainable forestry, remains an important instrument of Luxembourg's climate policy. In response to a parliamentary enquiry by MP Jeff Engelen, Environment Minister Serge Wilmes presented a detailed report on the programme's performance in recent years.
Since the programme started in 2021, more than 600 applications for Klimabonus have been submitted by private forest owners. In 2021, 299 applications were received, 115 in 2022, 105 in 2023 and 82 in 2024. The total number of approved areas totalled more than 6,500 hectares, of which almost half were in protected areas (Schutzzon).
Almost all applications were granted. The refusals were of a point-by-point nature and concerned either sites that were too small (less than 0.5 ha), sites with coniferous plantations (Nolenholz), or those that turned out to be meadows or arable land.
Funding for the approved requests is as follows:
- 2021 - € 7 897 400
- 2022 - €1,511,640
- 2023 - €1 134 115
For 2024, the final amount has not yet been determined as 35 applications remain pending.
Payments are made for 10 years, one tenth of the total amount each year. This ensures the sustainability of the measures and the long-term care of the forest areas.
Since 2023, Luxembourg has had a digital aid simulator integrated on the https://aides.klima-agence.lu platform. It allows individuals to quickly find out which aid they may qualify for - be it in energy, mobility or forestry.
According to the Minister, more than 137,000 requests were made through the simulator in 2024. The interface is intuitive, covers 55 types of assistance, and is actively used in consultations by the Klima Agency, municipalities, craft companies and even banks.
In the case of forest subsidies, the Klimabonus section was developed in co-operation with the Luxembourg Nature and Forest Administration (Naturverwaltung) and the association of private forest owners (Lëtzebuerger Privatbësch). The simulator helps not only to obtain information but also to prepare for the application by simplifying administrative procedures.
