New financial support for private landowners committed to preserving ecosystems
At a press conference on 12 May 2025, Serge Wilmes, Minister for the Environment, Climate and Biodiversity, presented the progress made in the area of environmental subsidies.
In accordance with the 2023-2028 coalition agreement and in line with the desire of the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Biodiversity to strengthen the commitment and funding for conserving and restoring ecosystems, the Minister has launched a new subsidy programme, the «Klimabonus Mouer a Wiss», dedicated to private landowners of wetlands and flower meadows located in the countryside. At the same time, the Ministry has updated the existing «Klimabonus Bësch» programme. Both programmes aim to support private landowners in implementing measures to strengthen the ecosystems on their land and mitigate the effects of climate change.
Ecosystems: pillars of climate resilience and social well-being
Ecosystems, such as grasslands, wetlands and forests, play an essential role in the environment and are home to a wealth of biodiversity. The services they provide are of great benefit to society, particularly as nature-based solutions that are essential for adapting to and mitigating the effects of climate change.
Among their many contributions, these ecosystems:
- absorb and store carbon;
- regulate the water regime, helping to protect against flooding, limiting the effects of drought and buffering the effects of heatwaves;
- contribute to the renewal of groundwater;
- to combat soil erosion;
- are refuge areas for rare or threatened species;
- ensure that ecological connectivity is maintained and improved;
- protect the soil;
- filter water and air;
- preserve biodiversity and offer recreational and even ecological tourism opportunities;
- supply natural products such as wood
The conservation, restoration or improvement of these ecosystems, as well as maintaining their proper functioning and the services they provide, are therefore essential to the health and resilience of our society.
Two «Klimabonus» premiums have been introduced to reward landowners for their commitment to providing these ecosystem services:
- Forestry: the «Klimabonus Bësch» premium (introduced in 2021, adapted in March 2025)
- Open environment: the «Klimabonus Mouer a Wiss» premium (introduced in March 2025).
«Klimabonus Bësch»
The aim of this premium, intended solely for private forests, is to reward private forest owners who, through sustainable forest management, provide the vital services that forests offer to society as a whole.
Since its launch, more than 600 applications have been registered and, to date, 6,526.30 ha, including 3,687.19 ha in protected areas, have benefited from this premium.
In order to strengthen equity and better respond to the realities of private forest properties, the Grand-Ducal regulation of 6 March 2025 adapts that of 16 April 2021, instituting a premium for ecosystem services in the forest environment, on the following main points:
- the reduction in the minimum eligible area to 0.3 ha (instead of 0.5 ha);
- the thresholds for the tiers, now set at 50 ha and 100 ha (compared with 100 ha and 200 ha previously).
It should be noted that the beneficiary makes a commitment for 10 consecutive years, from 1 January to 31 December.er The premium runs from 1 January following approval of the premium until 31 December of the tenth year.
Conditions and forms are available on guichet.lu
A transitional provision stipulates that the premiums already granted by the 2021 regulation will be maintained until their commitment expires after 10 years.
«Klimabonus Mouer a Wiss»
Building on the success of the subsidies for private owners of forest land, the Grand Ducal regulation of 6 March 2025 introduced the «Klimabonus Mouer a Wiss» premium, designed to encourage the conservation, restoration and improvement of species-rich wetlands and sensitive grasslands.
These essential ecosystems, which are true carbon sinks and reservoirs of biodiversity, play a key role in mitigating climate change.
This is the first premium of its kind in an open environment, aimed at owners of private land to explicitly recognise the services they provide to society through the biotopes they host on their property.
Eligible funds must:
contain protected biotopes or habitats of Community interest linked to species-rich wetlands or sensitive grasslands - as recorded in the biotope register,
be in a single block with at least 0.3 hectares of eligible land,
be located on land in the green zone.
«The new «Klimabonus Mouer a Wiss» is the first grant under this scheme for private landowners in open areas. Wetlands and flower meadows are essential habitats for many native species and, along with forests, are among the most important carbon sinks and water reservoirs. This programme is helping to boost biodiversity while protecting the climate,» emphasised Serge Wilmes.
The beneficiary makes a commitment for 10 consecutive years, from 1 January to 31 December.er The premium runs from 1 January following approval of the premium until 31 December of the tenth year.
Conditions and forms are available on guichet.lu
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