The European Commission has announced more than €103 million in funding for seven strategic projects under the EU’s LIFE programme, supporting climate adaptation, environmental protection and circular economy initiatives across Europe.
The projects will take place in Finland, France, Greece, the Netherlands, Portugal, Slovakia and Spain. According to the Commission, the initiatives aim to help implement EU environmental and climate legislation and mobilise additional national and private investment.
In Finland, the ACWA LIFE project will focus on protecting water resources across streams, lakes, coastal waters and groundwater. The project uses a “source to sea” approach that addresses pressures from human activities across entire water systems. Measures include restoring aquatic ecosystems and improving water management practices.
France’s LIFE ADAPT EST project will work to strengthen climate adaptation in the Grand Est region. The project aims to help local authorities integrate climate risks into planning, including water management, infrastructure development and land use.
In Greece, LIFE SIP GR Blue focuses on the protection of marine ecosystems. The project will implement actions targeting biodiversity conservation, fisheries management and pollution reduction, including marine litter and underwater noise.
The CEL4LIFE project in the Dutch province of Limburg aims to accelerate the transition to a circular economy. The initiative seeks to reduce the use of primary raw materials and encourage reuse and recycling in sectors such as chemicals, manufacturing and construction.
Portugal’s LIFE IP AGRILOOP project will implement circular economy approaches across the Azores. The initiative targets several sectors including agriculture, forestry, food production and tourism to reduce waste and improve resource efficiency.
In Slovakia, the NatAdaptSK project will support climate adaptation measures across water management, agriculture and forestry. The project also promotes nature based solutions to improve biodiversity and strengthen resilience to climate risks affecting communities.
Spain’s LIFE HumedalES project will focus on restoring wetlands across the country’s Natura 2000 network. The project aims to improve biodiversity and strengthen natural flood protection while supporting water security.
EU programme for environment and climate
The funding comes from the LIFE programme, the EU’s main financial instrument for environmental and climate action. The programme supports projects that help implement EU policies on biodiversity protection, circular economy and climate adaptation.
The Commission said the new projects are intended to help member states implement environmental and climate strategies at regional and national level while supporting the EU’s long term climate and sustainability objectives.
