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- European Commission
- Environment
- LIFE Programme
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The nine projects selected in 2015 have a total budget of €171.5 million, including €89.7 million of EU co-financing. They could leverage and coordinate over €2 billion in complementary funding from EU agricultural and regional funds, as well as national and private funds. The money will support projects in Belgium, Denmark, Finland, Germany, Italy, Spain, Sweden, and the UK.
These are Integrated projects contributing to the achievement of the objectives of the: Water Framework Directive by implementing all or part of a River Basin Management Plan; Air Directive by implementing Air Quality Plans; or Waste Framework Directive by implementing Waste Management Plans or Waste Prevention Plans.
BELGIUM (1 project – €17.7 million)
LIFE-IP Belini (Vlaamse Milieumaatschappij – VMM/'Flanders Environment Agency”): The project will be implemented within the Scheldt International River Basin District (IRBD), one of the most densely-populated areas of Europe, where pressures on the water system make it very difficult to achieve the targets of the Water Framework Directive (WFD) and Floods Directive. LIFE-IP Belini will focus on a well-designated part of the Scheldt IRBD that is representative of the entire district, i.e. the catchment area of three Belgian tributaries of the main river Scheldt: the Zenne/Senne, the Dijle/Dyle and the Demer/Démer. The project will combine best-practice elements with capacity-building, pilot and awareness-raising activities, all of which are planned to have a long-term impact. As a secondary impact, the project is also expected to contribute to adaptation to climate change and enhance biodiversity. In addition to the IP budget itself the project will facilitate the coordinated use of €276.3 million in complementary funding from EAFRD, EMFF, EIB, and the regional governments of Flanders and Wallonia.
Contact: s.swenne@vmm.be
FINLAND (1 project – €18.5 million)
LIFE-IP CIRCWASTE-FINLAND (Suomen ympäristökeskus (SYKE): The aim of the project is to implement the Finnish National Waste Plan (NWP). The NWP is a means of meeting Finland's obligations under the Waste Framework Directive (2008/98) and includes both waste management plans and waste prevention programmes. The project will respond two main challenges in the implementation of the NWP: the removal of bottlenecks to achieving national and EU targets in waste management, and planning for 2016-2023 to be able to respond to the requirements of the Roadmap to a Resource Efficient Europe and Circular Economy Package. To this end, it will provide new waste management concepts, as well as increasing capacity building and enhanced cooperation within the waste management sector and with different stakeholders, with the goal of keeping biological and technical materials circulating in the economy for longer. The project will take place in five regions of Finland, including both urban environments and sparsely-populated rural areas, so that lessons are highly transferable. LIFE IP CIRCWASTE-FINLAND project expects to reach the NWP's targets for waste management in the chosen regions, including expected EU targets related to the reuse and recycling of municipal waste; landfilling of recyclable plastics, metals, glass, paper and cardboard, and biodegradable waste; recycling of phosphorus and development of markets for high quality secondary raw materials. In addition to the LIFE IP budget, the project will facilitate the coordinated use of €9.4 million in complementary funding from EAFRD, ERDF, national and private funds.
Contact: tuuli.myllymaa@ymparisto.fi
ITALY (1 project – €16.8 million)
LIFE-IP PREPAIR (Regione Emilia-Romagna): The densely-populated, intensively-farmed and heavily-industrialised Po Valley in northern Italy fails to meet air quality limit values for particulate matter, ozone and nitrous oxides. Meteorological conditions and the transport and dispersion of pollutants are strongly influenced by the morphological characteristics of the Po Valley and the northern Adriatic Basin. The transport of pollutants is limited by the Alps, the Apennines and the Dinaric Alps. To comply with the Air Quality Directive, National Emissions Ceiling Reduction Commitments and the EU's Clean Air for Europe strategy, LIFE-IP PREPAIR will build capacity and strengthen coordination among public authorities and private operators, including through a new permanent networking structure that involves the environmental agencies of the Po Valley and of the eastern border regions and Northern Adriatic basin, such as Slovenia. It will carry out pilot actions to improve air quality and assess the effectiveness and transferability of those measures in the project area and other EU regions. The project will establish a near-real time web-based system for sharing air quality and emissions data and air quality models. Measures will focus on four main sectors: biomass burning, energy efficiency, transport and agriculture. In addition to the LIFE IP budget, the project will facilitate the coordinated use of €850.4 million in complementary funding from EAFRD, ERDF, regional (Veneto and Emilia-Romagna) and Slovenian funds.
Contact: ambpiani@regione.emilia-romagna.it
SWEDEN (1 project – €23.7 million)
LIFE IP RICH WATERS (Länsstyrelsen i Västmanlands län - County Administrative Board of Västmanland): The project is designed to help deliver the River Basin Management Plan for 2016-2021 of the Northern Baltic Sea River Basin District, an area that includes the city of Stockholm. Some 80% of surface water bodies in the river basin district have an ecological status that is less than good. RICH WATERS will implement policy instrument and practical measures in five main thematic areas: water planning, eutrophication (external), eutrophication (internal), connectivity, and environmental pollutants. These measures will focus on capacity building, common approaches, best practice and show cases and innovative and cost efficient technology. The project expects to directly enable 6% of surface water bodies at risk in the river basin district to reach good status, as well as indirectly helping improve the status of 45% of the surface water bodies. In addition to the IP budget itself, the project will facilitate the coordinated use of €71.01 million of complementary funding from EAFRD, ERDF, national and private funds, as applicable.
Contact: mats.wallin@lansstyrelsen.se
These are Integrated projects contributing to the achievement of the objectives of the EU Birds and Habitats Directives (Natura 2000 network) and to achieving target 1 of the EU Biodiversity Strategy by implementing the Prioritised Action Frameworks (PAFs), which are priorities for managing and implementing the Natura 2000 network.
GERMANY (1 project – €16.9 million)
Atlantic Region DE (MKULNV - North Rhine-Westphalian Ministry of Climate Protection, Environment, Agriculture, Nature and Consumer Protection): The Atlantic Biogeographic region of Germany covers the north-western lowlands of the country, an area of around 70.000 km². It is an extremely heterogeneous landscape subject to a multitude of pressures. Only 20% of the species and 17% of the habitats in the region are in a ‘favourable’ conservation status. The Atlantic Region DE project aims to implement the Prioritised Action Framework (PAF) for the Natura 2000 network in the region and protect species and habitats in line with the EU biodiversity strategy to 2020. It will draft a strategy for improving the conservation status of habitats and species throughout the Atlantic Biogeographic region of Germany. It will also implement concrete conservation actions for 15 characteristic habitats and 10 animal and plant species of sand landscapes of the region. The project will act as a catalyst at local, regional and national level, working with existing stakeholders, mobilising new actors and making use of complementary funds. In addition to the LIFE IP budget, the project will facilitate the coordinated use of €135.26 million of complementary funding from EAFRD, ERDF, national and private funds.
Contact: Ingrid.Rudolph@mkulnv.nrw.de
NETHERLANDS (1 project – €17.4 million)
Deltanatuur (The Netherlands Ministry of Economic Affairs): In line with the Dutch Prioritised Action Framework (PAF), the project aims to develop and implement an integrated governance approach for optimal coordination of interests in wet Natura 2000 sites in the Netherlands. By building internal and external capacity, optimising coordination between governmental bodies and involving stakeholders throughout, Deltanatuur expects to deliver a well-structured integrated governance approach for spatial interventions including better linkage to nature objectives in the Dutch delta, broadly supported by relevant stakeholders. This integrated approach will be demonstrated through pilot projects in areas where tensions between nature, flood protection and economic interests have earlier led to a fragmented approach. In addition to the LIFE IP budget, the project will facilitate the coordinated use of €144.85 million of complementary funding from Interreg, (sub)national and private funds.
Contact: w.s.olivier@minez.nl
SPAIN (1 project – €49.8 million)
LIFE IP INTEMARES (Fundación Biodiversidad): The main objective of the project is to implement a Prioritised Action Framework in the Spanish marine Natura 2000 network and ensure that, upon completion, Spain has a consolidated network of marine Natura 2000 sites managed in an effective and integrated way, with the active participation of all sectors concerned, and using research as a basic tool for decision-making. Specific objectives include ensuring a favourable conservation status for protected habitats and species, improving monitoring, boosting the knowledge and capacity of site managers and stakeholders to achieve conservation targets, promoting innovative approaches to site management (including funding), and promoting sustainable tourism and employment in the marine Natura 2000 network. In addition to the IP budget itself, the project will facilitate the coordinated use of €22 million of complementary funding from EMFF, ESF and national funds, as applicable.
Contact: itorres@fundacion-biodiversidad.es
These are Integrated projects implementing on a large territorial scale climate action plans, strategies or roadmaps in the areas of climate change mitigation and adaptation.
DENMARK (1 project – €13.4 million)
EU LIFE IP C2C CC - COAST TO COAST CLIMATE CHALLENGE (Region Midtjylland): The project is led by the regional government of Midtjylland ('Central Denmark'), which will work together with 30 partners to create a climate resilient region and implement local climate adaptation plans related to managing more water. This integrated approach to flood risk management will involve identifying and enhancing the resources and capabilities of citizens, municipalities, utilities and companies in the water industry. The project will carry out cross-cutting capacity-building actions focusing on marine waters, rivers, groundwater, governance, tools and innovation. It will also complete six sub-projects in the countryside and six in urban areas, as well as five innovative interdisciplinary projects to raise public awareness, develop new technologies, develop eco-tourism infrastructure and showcase the cultural and natural history of the project area. In total, the project will mobilise some €199.8 million in complementary funding, in addition to its budget.
Contact: coast.to.coast@ru.rm.dk
GERMANY (1 project – €19.8 million)
LIFE-IP ZENAPA – Zero Emission Nature Protection Areas (Trier University of Applied Sciences, Institute for Applied Material Flow Management - IfaS): The project aims to work on the nexus between climate change mitigation and biodiversity protection and to establish viable economic solutions in nature protection areas and surrounding regions to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in line with national and pan-European climate protection targets (CAP 2020 and CPP 2050). As well as seeking to achieve CO2e neutrality in the participating protected areas, the project aims to develop the potential of regions as incubators for wider uptake of the climate change mitigation and energy production measures and new financing mechanisms demonstrated. The project beneficiary will work with 11 partners from Germany and Luxembourg. Some 90 90 model districts or villages will showcase the feasibility of the project which, in addition to its budget, will mobilise some €304.1 million in complementary funding.
Contact: p.heck@umwelt-campus.de