LIFE program: €380 million for 168 new green projects across Europe

Today, the Commission has approved funding of more than 380 million euros for 168 new projects throughout Europe as part of the LIFE program for the environment and climate action. At the heart of the European Green Deal, LIFE projects can help the EU to become climate neutral by 2050 and achieve climate, energy and environmental objectives. They support biodiversity, nature restoration and a circular economy while contributing to the energy transition for across the continent.

The funding represents a increase of 27% compared to 562 million in funding last year and will mobilize a total investment of over Projects from almost all EU countries will benefit from this EU funding in four themes (sub-programs): nature and biodiversity, circular economy and quality of life, climate change mitigation and adaptation, and clean energy transition.

Projects in the areas of biodiversity, circular economy, climate change mitigation and adaptation and clean energy

A project on nature will improve Biodiversity management city-scale projects in Tartu (Estonia), Aarhus (Denmark) and Riga (Latvia) to restore connectivity and improve ecosystem health. Planned actions include habitat restoration and engaging communities in these towns to participate in conservation and restoration work.

To promote a more circular economy a project Spanish will encourage hybrid and fully electric tractors to be used in vineyards and orchards and the electrification of support machines. This will show how to reduce fuel consumption by 45% and lube oil use by 30%. In Italy, a project aims to develop a new circular economy model based on the collection, sorting and recycling of used outdoor shoes in order to obtain secondary raw materials to make new high quality shoes.

Supporting the adaptation to climate change in the agricultural sector, a project Cyprus and Greece will develop, demonstrate and promote innovative techniques to reduce the risks associated with desertification, unsustainable agricultural practices and forest fires. Meanwhile, in Latvia and Finland, a project will implement climate change mitigation on peat bogs. He will demonstrate innovative tools for monitoring greenhouse gas emissions and peatland restoration, including remote sensing and modeling.

With regard to the clean energy transition, seven projects will implement 16 new one-stop shops to facilitate energy renovation for thousands of homeowners in five EU countries. Three projects will help households to reduce their energy bills through energy renovation in vulnerable neighborhoods and customized renovation roadmaps in Southern and Eastern Europe. Six projects will encourage energy communities to local and regional levels to invest in the energy transition. They will also engage in energy efficiency and renewable energy projects, including community heating and cooling across Europe.

New projects within the framework of the 380 million euros of EU funding

Nature and biodiversity

• 27 nature and biodiversity projects will help protect Europe’s biodiversity and support the implementation of directives Birds and Habitats s strategy, the EU Biodiversity Strategy for 2030 and the proposal of nature restoration act . They have a total budget of just under 195 million of which the EU will cover approximately 127 million.
• 38 projects environment and resource efficiency projects will help restore the environment and develop technologies to support the circular economy action plan . They will mobilize 144 million of which the EU will provide 86 million euros .
• 7 environmental governance projects raise awareness of environmental issues such as biodiversity loss and air pollution. They will give public authorities the tools to promote, monitor and enforce EU environmental legislation. These projects have a total budget of over 10 million of which the EU will contribute more than 6 million.

Climate Action

• In total, 30 LIFE projects worth approximately 114 million will contribute to the implementation of the climate law s strategy and adaptation to climate change of the EU by promoting the transition to a climate neutral, energy efficient, renewable energy based and resilient economy. 11 climate change mitigation projects contribute to the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions through sustainable management of land, forests and the sea; innovative clean energy solutions; and the replacement and reuse of fluorinated greenhouse gases. They will mobilize approximately 50 million of which the EU will provide approximately 30 million.
• 13 climate change adaptation projects will help cities and regions adapt to climate change; Supporting climate adaptation solutions in agriculture, forestry and water management; Strengthen the resilience of infrastructure and buildings; and support sustainable nature-based solutions in cities and landscapes. They will mobilize some 52 million, of which more than 30 million from EU funds.
• 6 LIFE projects on climate governance and information will improve climate governance and inform the public and stakeholders about climate change. Their total budget is about 12 million 12 million, of which the EU is contributing more than 7 million.

Clean energy

• 67 projects will be devoted to improving market and regulatory conditions in the EU for the transition to clean energy, including the promotion and deployment of small-scale energy efficiency and renewable energy solutions. They have a total budget of over 100 million of which the EU provides approximately 96 million euros . These projects support the renewable energy and energy efficiency policies defined in the REPowerEU plan plan and the Fit for 55 package, as well as the general objectives of the Energy Union.

Background

The LIFE program is the EU’s funding instrument for environment and climate action . It has been bringing green ideas to LIFE since 1992 and to date has co-financed over 5,500 projects . The EU and associated countries are part of the program, including in these new projects. For the period 2021-2027, the EU has increased funding for the LIFE program by almost 60 %, up to 5.4 billion and included the new Clean Energy Transition sub-program.