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European Parliament calls for doubling for LIFE funding in next EU budget

14 March 2018
by WWF -- last modified 14 March 2018

Today, the European Parliament voted to double the funding of the LIFE Programme, the EU’s only funding instrument on nature conservation and climate, in the next EU budget post-2020. WWF has long called for LIFE financing to be more than trebled to reach 1% of the next budget, up from 0.3% currently.


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In its vote on the "Report on the next MFF: Preparing the Parliament's position on the MFF post-2020", parliament also states that the EU budget needed to be based on the EU's international commitments such as the 2030 Sustainable Development Agenda and the Paris Climate Agreement, and it explicitly mentions environmental degradation and biodiversity loss as challenges.

"There are many positive elements in this report, not just on increasing the funding for LIFE, but also on the fundamental need to bring the EU budget in line with our international commitments on sustainable development, environment, biodiversity and climate change," said Anke Schulmeister-Oldenhove, Senior Forest Policy Officer, ?WWF European Policy Office & Coordinator EU Budget. "It is now up to the European Commission to follow these calls and present a legislative proposal which delivers on the urgent need to re-balance of environmental, social and economic aspects, with sustainability mainstreamed into all relevant programmes and instruments."

MEPs also advocate a 30% climate spending target, and 'mainstreaming' of climate mitigation throughout all sectoral policies. WWF calls for a 50% spending target for climate and environment.

On Common Agriculture Policy, which accounts for 35% of the current EU budget, MEPs have called for a policy that would support farmers' transition towards environmentally friendly farming practices. However, the report does not lay out any concrete proposals on reforming the CAP to make it more sustainable. WWF is calling for a thorough CAP reform with the objective to facilitate the transition towards sustainable food and farming systems in Europe, and at least 50% of funds ring-fenced for dedicated financing of actions related to climate, environment and nature conservation.

The European Policy Office helps shape EU policies that impact on the European and global environment.

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