LIFE programme: EUR 222 m for environment, nature and climate action

Climate change – Photo Mariaisen2

(BRUSSELS) – The Commission approved Thursday an EU investment package of EUR 222 million to support Europe’s transition to more sustainable and low-carbon future under the LIFE programme for the Environment and Climate Action.

The EU funding will mobilise additional investments leading to a total of 379 million going towards 139 new projects in 20 Member States: Belgium, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, The Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovenia, Spain and the United Kingdom.

181.9 million will go to projects in the field of environment and resource efficiency, nature and biodiversity, and environmental governance and information.

The LIFE programme is the EU’s funding instrument for the environment and climate action. It has been running since 1992 and has co-financed more than 4,500 projects across the EU and in third countries, mobilising over 9 billion and contributing over 4 billion to the protection of the environment and climate. The budget for the LIFE Programme for 20142020 is set at 3.4 billion in current prices, and has a sub-programme for environment and a sub-programme for climate action.

In line with the Commission’s circular economy package, projects will help Member States in their transition to a more circular economy. Project examples include: testing an Italian prototype that could cost-effectively convert petrol cars into hybrid vehicles, creating bio-based products from wastewater sludge in the Netherlands, and applying a new biological treatment to remove pesticides and nitrates from water in southern Spain. Other projects will support the implementation of the Action Plan for Nature, in particular the management of Nature 2000 sites. Species protection is another focus, such as in the Slovenian cross-border project to help the survival of a highly endangered Alpine lynx species.

In the area of climate action, the EU will invest 40.2 million to support climate change adaptation, mitigation and governance and information projects. Selected projects support the EU’s target to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by at least 40% by 2030 compared to 1990 levels. LIFE funding will also help improve the resilience of one of Europe’s busiest waterways, the Scheldt Estuary in Belgium, develop tools to forecast desert dust storms, and counteract the heat island effect in cities.

59 LIFEEnvironment & Resource Efficiency projects will mobilise 134.6 million, of which the EU will provide 73.0 million. These projects cover actions in five thematic areas: air, environment and health, resource efficiency, waste, and water. The 15 resource efficiency projects alone will mobilise 37.9 million to help in Europe’s transition to a more circular economy.
39LIFE Nature & Biodiversity projects support the implementation of the Action Plan for Nature, the Birds and Habitats Directives and the EU Biodiversity Strategy to 2020. They have a total budget of 135.5 million, of which the EU will contribute 90.9 million.
14LIFE Environmental Governance and Information projects will raise awareness on environmental matters. They have a total budget of 30.2 million, of which the EU will contribute 18 million.
12 LIFE Climate Change Adaptation projects will mobilise 42.6 million, of which the EU will provide 20.6 million. These action grants are awarded to projects in six thematic areas: ecosystem-based adaptation, health and wellbeing, mountain/island areas adaptation focusing on the agriculture sector, urban adaptation/planning, vulnerability assessments/adaptation strategies, and water (including flood management, coastal areas and desertification).
9 LIFE Climate Change Mitigation projects have a total budget of 25.7 million, of which the EU will contribute 13.6 million. These action grants are awarded to best practice, pilot and demonstration projects in three thematic areas: industry, greenhouse gas accounting/reporting, and land use/forestry/agriculture.
6 LIFE Climate Governance and Information projects will improve governance and raise awareness of climate change. They have a total budget of 10.4 million, of which the EU will contribute 6 million.