Further Information : LIFE
LIFE is the European Union's financial instrument supporting environmental and nature conservation projects throughout the EU
Since 1992, LIFE has co-financed some 2,750 projects, contributing approximately €1.35 billion to the protection of the environment.
With a budget of €2.143 billion for the period 2007-2013 LIFE+ is a limited but focused funding instrument providing specific support for the development and implementation of Community environmental policy and legislation. It comprises three components:
• Nature and Biodiversity
• Environment Policy and Governance
• Information and Communication
The European Commission organises the annual call for proposals and, with the help of external experts, will select, revise and monitor the projects and be responsible for making the appropriate payments.
Below is a list of the key areas where the LIFE+ Programme can offer financial support to projects, with details of the types of activities that could be undertaken against each.
More information on the LIFE+ Programme can be found on the European Commission website.
Nature and Biodiversity
- Coast, seas and fisheries - marine habitats and species surveys and conservation, integrated coastal zone management, marine ‘green' technologies and sustainable fisheries
- Forests - innovative ways for the implementation and enforcement of EU policy and legislation on forest quality management
- Grassland and scrubland - the development of agri-environmental management tools, as well as grasslands, bog and scrublands conservation and restoration
- Rivers and lakes - river habitats and species conservation, river restoration, and river basin management
- Wetlands - conservation of wetland ecosystems within the Natura 2000 network
- Animal and plant species - nature conservation based around EU legislation - the Birds directive and the Habitats directive, and the Natura 2000 Network
- Air - the facilitation of air quality management and the prevention of air pollution
- Energy and climate - energy production and distribution, renewable energy technologies, energy-efficiency in areas such as industry, services, buildings, transportation, lighting and equipment, as well as the reduction of greenhouse gases
- Environmental management - instruments that would provide beneficiaries with the possibility of managing their environmental activities, products and services and helps them to achieve environmental obligations and performance goals
- Industry and production - reduce the environmental impact of goods and services
- Urban environment and quality of life - following the framework set by the Thematic Strategy on the Urban Environment
- Soil, land use and agriculture - soil and landscape protection, desertification prevention, minimisation of environmental impacts of agricultural activities
- Waste - technological solutions to waste treatment in the manufacturing sector, better waste management, awareness-raising campaigns, better ways of using resources and treating waste
- Water - urban water management, industrial wastewater treatment, river basin monitoring and improving groundwater quality
Environment Policy and Governance
LIFE+ will co-finance projects that contribute to the implementation of Community environmental policy, the development of innovative policy approaches, technologies, methods and instruments, the knowledge base as regards environment policy and legislation, and the monitoring of environmental (including forest monitoring).
Information and Communication
LIFE+ will co-finance projects that implement communication and awareness raising campaigns on environmental, nature protection or biodiversity conservation issues, as well as projects related to forest fire prevention (awareness raising, special training).
