Climate change – Image by Tumisu on Pixabay
(BRUSSELS) – The European Commission gave its approval Tuesday to 171 new projects across Europe under the LIFE Programme for environment and climate action, worth more than EUR 396 million.
The LIFE programme’s co-funding requirements mean that it will mobilise a total investment of more than EUR 722 million, which represents a 28.5 per cent increase compared to last year. Projects from almost all EU countries will benefit from EU support under the following sub-programmes: nature and biodiversity; circular economy and quality of life; climate change mitigation and adaptation; and clean energy transition.
LIFE projects contribute to EU climate, energy and environmental goals, including its aim of becoming climate-neutral by 2050. They support biodiversity and nature restoration, improve the quality of life of Europeans by reducing pollutants and greenhouse gas emissions, increase circularity in the economy and climate resilience, and accelerate the transition to clean energy across Europe.
One of the biggest nature and biodiversity projects involves 13 EU Member States and other European countries tackling fishing bycatch in the North Atlantic, Baltic and Mediterranean waters. Led by The Netherlands, the project aims to minimise – and where possible eliminate – bycatch in the regions involved in line with the EU Biodiversity Strategy for 2030.
A French project aims to demonstrate the technical and economic feasibility of an innovative and cost-efficient photovoltaic system before bringing it to the market. The technology consists of bifacial solar panels that are suspended above unexploited sites such as canals, basins and reservoirs. This technology will help generate more renewable energy, decrease greenhouse gas emissions and reduce competition for land use.
A new multi-country project will also support the clean energy transition in the HORECA (hotel, restaurant, catering) value chain in seven EU countries. The project aims to train over 500 workers and engage around 10 000 stakeholders in the accommodation and food service industry to save the equivalent energy of 390 million light bulbs a year.
The Commission has increased funding for the LIFE Programme by almost 60% for the 2021 – 2027 period, bringing it to 5.43 billion. The grants financed under the LIFE Programme are managed by CINEA – European Climate Infrastructure and Environment Executive Agency.
