Alina Oprea • 12 March, 2023 at 2:47 PM
The Commission announced today an investment of over €116 million for the new LIFE Programme's Strategic Projects. The funding will help eight major projects in Belgium, Estonia, Spain, Italy, Poland, Slovakia, and Finland reach their climate and environmental targets. The projects are expected to mobilize significant additional funds from other EU funding sources, including agricultural, structural, regional, and research funds, in addition to national funds and private sector investment.
The projects will help Europe become the world's first climate-neutral continent by 2050 and successfully implement the European Gren Deal. They also support the EU Biodiversity Strategy for 2030, the Circular Economy Action Plan, the Zero Pollution Action Plan, and the Nature Restoration Law and contribute to a clean energy transition.
The projects cover the following areas:
Nature conservation and restoration: In Belgium, partners in B4B LIFE will enlarge protected areas, improve connectivity and develop action plans for critical habitats and species across the country. The Wetlands Green LIFE team will help implement EU policy on protected areas and the habitats and species they support in Poland. The focus will be on marshes, peatlands and wetlands across various Natura 2000 sites. Both projects also support the implementation of the EU Birds and Habitats Directives.
Water quality and waste management: LIFE Living Rivers in Slovakia will maintain water quality, protect natural habitats and native species, and promote sustainable forestry and fisheries management. The project will contribute to the implementation of the EU's Water Framework Directive and the Habitats Directive. The team behind PlastLIFE will help implement the Plastic Roadmap for Finland. Work will include reducing plastic litter, decreasing waste and plastic consumption, and boosting recycling.
Climate change adaptation: Estonia's LIFE-SIP AdaptEs project team will increase the country's capacity for climate change adaptation by helping implement its 'Development Plan for Climate Change Adaptation'. In Spain, the LIFE eCOadapt50 project will raise awareness of climate change adaptation by involving governments and businesses in local Climate Adaptation strategies. Partners in Italy's LIFE Climax PO will test climate-smart water management at the river basin scale and improve the governance of water resource management. These three projects support the implementation of the EU's Adaptation Strategy.
Climate change mitigation: the LIFE AFTER COAL PL team will help implement Poland's 'Strategy for Climate Neutrality Eastern Wielkopolska 2040' (RSCN) with a particular focus on the utility and transport sectors. This project aligns with the EU's Climate Law.
”Our nature needs us to step up: the climate crisis, biodiversity loss and pollution have severe effects on nature and ecosystems, putting our food security and economic prosperity at risk. The LIFE Programme has a great track record in helping nature across Europe recover. These eight new projects will enable entire countries and regions to successfully reduce emissions, restore nature, and ensure sustainable use of resources”, says Frans Timmermans, Executive Vice-President for the European Green Deal.
Strategic Nature Projects and Strategic Integrated Projects build on the success of LIFE's Integrated Projects (Ips) which were funded between 2014 and 2020.
”We need to heal Europe's habitats as our life, society and economy directly depend on them. 80% are in bad shape and our work now is crucial to reverse this. The LIFE Programme Strategic Projects are a valuable tool in that process, helping us to address the interlinked challenges of climate change, nature loss and pollution, and mobilise additional funds. This is a real positive impact happening on the ground in seven of our Member States and I am looking forward to continuing supporting such actions”, says Virginijus Sinkevičius, Commissioner for Environment, Oceans and Fisheries.
LIFE Programme Strategic Nature Projects and Strategic Integrated Projects support the implementation of EU environmental and climate legislation and policies, on regional, multi-regional, national or transnational levels. Strategic nature projects help EU countries mainstream their nature and biodiversity policy objectives into other policies and financing instruments. Strategic integrated projects contribute to national, regional or industry-/sector-specific greenhouse gas mitigation strategies and low carbon economy roadmaps.
The LIFE Programme is the EU's funding instrument for the environment and climate action. It has been bringing green ideas to life since 1992 and, to date, has co-financed over 5,500 projects across the EU and in third countries. For the 2021-2027 period, the European Commission has increased LIFE Programme funding by almost 60%, up to €5.4 billion, and included the new clean energy transition sub-programme. The LIFE Programme is managed by the European Climate, Infrastructure and Environment Executive Agency (CINEA).