The EU is to invest €222 million of its budget into 139 innovative projects to support Europe's transition to a circular economy and to a more sustainable and low carbon future. The European Commission's green light was given to this funding, under the LIFE programme, on Friday 29 September, at the initiative of Commissioners Karmenu Vella (Environment) and Miguel Arias Cañete (Climate Action).
The projects are for a total value of €379 million and are eligible for EU co-financing under LIFE, the financial instrument for the environment and climate action.
Around €181.9 million will go to projects in the field of environment and resource efficiency, nature and biodiversity, and environmental governance and information. Another €40.2 million will meanwhile support climate change adaptation, mitigation (reducing greenhouse gas emissions) and governance and information projects.
59 LIFE Environment & Resource Efficiency projects for a total of €134.6 million will be co-financed by the EU for a maximum of €73 million. These projects 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, helping the circular economy.
39 LIFE Nature & Biodiversity projects for a total budget of €135.5 million will be co-financed for a maximum of €90.9 million to support implementation of the Action Plan for Nature (which aims to improve application of the Birds and Habitats Directives).
14 LIFE Environmental Governance and Information projects for a total budget of €30.2 million will be co-financed for a maximum of €18 million to raise awareness of environmental matters.
12 LIFE Climate Change Adaptation projects for a total amount of €42.6 million will be co-financed for a maximum of €20.6 million. They will cover ecosystem-based adaptation; health and well-being; mountain or island areas adaptation focusing on the agriculture sector; urban adaptation and planning; vulnerability assessments and adaptation strategies; and water (including flood management, coastal area adaptation and fighting desertification).
9 LIFE Climate Change Mitigation projects for a total budget of €25.7 million will be co-financed for a maximum of €13.6 million. These best practice, pilot and demonstration projects involve industry, greenhouse gas accounting and reporting, and the Lulucf sector (agriculture/forestry).
6 LIFE Climate Governance and Information projects for a total budget of €10.4 million will be co-financed for a maximum of €6 million.
These LIFE projects will be implemented in 20 member states (Belgium, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovenia, Spain and UK). (Original version in French by Aminata Niang)