30 years of bringing green ideas to LIFE

Since 1992 LIFE funded more than five thousand projects supporting Nature conservation, Circular Economy and Clean Energy future.

The LIFE programme 2021-2027 has a budget of €5.4 billion and is divided into four subprogrammes as follows:

1. Nature and biodiversity
2. Circular economy and quality of life
3. Climate change mitigation and adaptation
4. Clean energy transition 

The aim of the subprogram “Nature and biodiversity“ is to protect species and their habitats by expanding, nurturing and preserving nature for a sustainable and balanced future.

The focus of the subprogram “Circular economy and quality of life” is on waste as a resource that needs proper management to provide for crucial raw materials and safe environment. Specific topics include air, water, soil, noise, chemicals and the new European Bauhaus.

In subprogram “Climate change mitigation and adaptation” particular attention is given to ozone-depletion, carbon sinks, nature-based solutions in the management of land, coasts and marine areas by predicting, preventing and mitigating the climate change effects. It also includes adapting cities and regions for extreme weather events.

The subprogram “Clean energy transition” is dedicated to energy efficiency and renewables with the aim to ease the transition towards an energy-efficient, renewable energy-based, climate-neutral and resilient economy. A specific goal is to remove the market barriers that can hamper the socio-economic transition to sustainable energy.

The LIFE Calls for proposals for this year have been launched on 17 May 2022 offering the following types of grants:

• Standard Action Projects (SAP). Projects, other than strategic integrated projects, strategic nature projects or technical assistance projects, that pursue the specific objectives of the LIFE program.
• Strategic Nature Projects (SNAP). Projects that support the achievement of Union nature and biodiversity objectives by implementing coherent programs of action in Member States in order to mainstream those objectives and priorities into other policies and financing instruments, including through coordinated implementation of the prioritized action frameworks adopted pursuant to Directive 92/43/EEC.
• Strategic Integrated Projects (SIP). Projects that implement, on a regional, multi-regional, national or transnational scale, environmental or climate strategies or action plans developed by Member States’ authorities and required by specific environmental, climate or relevant energy legislation or policy of the Union, while ensuring that stakeholders are involved and promoting coordination with and mobilization of at least one other Union, national or private funding source.
• Technical Assistance Projects (TA). Projects that support the development of capacity for participation in standard action projects, the preparation of strategic nature projects and strategic integrated projects, the preparation for accessing other Union financial instruments or other measures necessary for preparing the upscaling or replication of results from other projects funded by the LIFE program, its predecessor programs or other Union programs, with a view to pursuing the LIFE program objectives set out in Article 3; such projects can also include capacity-building related to the activities of Member States’ authorities for effective participation in the LIFE program.
• Other Action Grants (OAG). Actions needed for the purpose of achieving the general objective of the LIFE program, including coordination and support actions aimed at capacity-building, at dissemination of information and of knowledge, and at awareness-raising to support the transition to renewable energy and increased energy efficiency.
• Operating Grants (OG). Grants that support the functioning of non-profit making entities which are involved in the development, implementation and enforcement of Union legislation and policy, and which are primarily active in the area of the environment or climate action, including energy transition, in line with the objectives of the LIFE program.

The level of EU funding for most subprograms is 60% and follows a unique phase, with the exception of the Strategic Integrated Projects (SIPs) and the Strategic Nature Projects (SNAPs), which are maintained with the habitual procedure of the two phases.