The 2026 LIFE Awards ceremony, organised as part of EU Green Week, showcased exemplary projects financed by the European Union’s LIFE programme, the European Commission announced on Thursday 4 June.
Every year, the event recognises initiatives that promote biodiversity, the circular economy and climate action.
In the Nature Protection and Biodiversity category, the top prize went to the LIFE Danube Floodplains project, which was commended for restoring degraded habitats along the Danube.
The Circular Economy and Quality of Life prize was awarded to LIFE Turn to e-circular, which raises awareness of the reuse of electrical and electronic equipment in Slovenia.
In the Climate Action category, the LIFE Wetlands4Climate project was recognised for its work on restoring Mediterranean wetlands, which have been identified as powerful carbon sinks.
The Citizens’ Prize went to the Egyptian Vulture New LIFE project, a far-reaching conservation programme that has helped to stabilise the vulture population in the Balkans.
The 2026 Special Award was awarded to LIFE Olivares Vivos, a project dedicated to restoring biodiversity in olive groves in southern Spain. (Original version in French by Lionel Changeur)