"LIFE Newsletter" Newsletter Issues

8 top tips for close-to-market applicants (18/04/2018)

Working on a commercial solution to an environmental challenge? Some LIFE funds are earmarked for bringing green solutions to the market. Here are our top eight tips for getting your close-to-market proposal approved.

LIFE Information and Networking Day (18/04/2018)

With only a few places left, register now to attend this year’s Information and Networking Day in person, or web-stream it live on 4 May 2018. The event will introduce recent changes to the programme and advise applicants on how to present their project proposals.

LIFE Information Days all over Europe (18/04/2018)

For advice in your native language on how to apply for LIFE funds, reach out to your national contact point. Over the coming weeks, the LIFE programme will be organising networking sessions, information days and writer’s workshops across the EU.

LIFE Awards ceremony (23/04/2018)

Meet some of the projects conserving the EU’s natural heritage and leading the fight against climate change. Time is also running out to vote online for the People's Choice Award and register to join us in person at this year’s LIFE Awards ceremony.

Natura 2000 Day celebrations (21/05/2018)

Organise your own event to celebrate European Natura 2000 Day. Managers of the world’s largest network of protected areas can add invitations to our online map and share them on #Natura2000Day.

Energy efficient solutions at EUSEW2018 (04/06/2018)

The European Commission will brief audiences on policy and projects boosting the energy efficiency of EU industry and the building sector. Register now to join dozens of clean energy events at the European Sustainable Energy Week's 2018 policy conference.

Hopping off to save Iberian ecosystems (18/04/2018)

The LIFE-funded Iberlince project has shipped thousands of wild rabbits from the southern coast of Cadiz to save ecosystems in Andalucia. A series of LIFE-funded refuges are helping the rabbits settle into their new home.

Open water for safer suburbs (18/04/2018)

The LIFE-GREEN4GREY project has refurbished a park in Zaventem, Belgium, transforming it into a bustling waterfront. The site now provides flood defences to communities living downstream, and a natural refuge for both wildlife and its peri-urban neighbours.

Sunshine in your pocket (18/04/2018)

Solar is growing cheaper than fossil fuels, especially for smart electricity consumers connected to smart grids. With help from the LIFE programme, Cyprus is learning to roll out solar photovoltaics in ways that save money for both households and utilities.

Apply now for LIFE funding! (17/04/2018)

The European Commission has launched its 2018 call for LIFE project proposals. This year, the programme is investing close to €400 million to help meet the costs of projects rolling out green policies in the EU.

April (18/04/2018)

This issue of our newsletter announces LIFE’s 2018 call for project proposals. We offer some tips for obtaining funds and invite applicants to join our Information and Networking days.

Vote for your favourite LIFE green city project! (09/04/2018)

Pick your favourite green city project and meet its pioneers at EU Green Week 2018. The European Commission has shortlisted 6 finalists among 62 best LIFE projects. We will collect votes until 25 April to choose this year´s People's Choice Award:

• Clean Air: A breath of fresh air
• PERHT: Green mobility hubs in historic towns
• Housing Landscapes: Making social housing climate-proof
• AIRUSE: Cleaner air for Southern European cities
• URBANCOWS: A perfect balance between urban beaches, lagoons and cows
• EKO-LIFE: Green up your life by eating and moving differently

The winner will be announced alongside this year’s laureates for nature conservation, environmental technologies and climate action at the LIFE Awards Ceremony on 23 May in Brussels, Belgium.

Register online to join us in person and find out more about other EU Green Week events.

March (26/03/2018)

This issue of LIFEnews announces new calls for proposals and invites you to their official Information Day. It also tours wildlife protection and climate adaptation in the Mediterranean, and introduces the finalists of this year’s Natura 2000 Awards.

Register now for LIFE’s 2018 Information Day (26/03/2018)

The European Commission is organising an Information & Networking Day for LIFE’s 2018 calls for project proposals. Join us in Brussels to find out more about the programme’s funding opportunities and recent changes to its application process.

Calendar alert: LIFE’s 2018 calls for proposals (26/03/2018)

The LIFE programme has announced its 2018 calls for project proposals. Details will be published closer to their official opening, but preliminary dates are already online for pitching projects on nature conservation, green growth and climate action.

Farms and forests confront climate change across the Mediterranean (26/03/2018)

Dozens of experts from LIFE projects converged on Madrid to discuss climate change adaptation measures in the Mediterranean. They shared their field insight with policy makers and representatives from the agriculture and forestry sector.

Of wolf and man: reconciliation across the Alps (26/03/2018)

Thousands gathered this month in Trento, Italy, to discuss coexistence between wolves and humans in Europe. The event included a 2-day specialist conference marking the end of the LIFE-funded WolfAlps project.

EUSEW Networking Village (05/06/2018)

Show off your clean energy solution at this year’s EU Sustainable Energy Week Networking Village. The event offers a chance to promote your work, make new contacts and lay the foundations of future partnerships.

International Workshop on Coastal Dunes and Sandy Beaches (12/06/2018)

The LIFE FLANDRE project is organising an international workshop on restoring coastal dunes and sandy beaches. Participants will address notably how climate change is affecting these habitats.

Tackling illegal killing along migratory flyways (26/03/2018)

LIFE projects to conserve the Egyptian vulture are moving beyond its breeding grounds in the Balkans to take action along the whole migratory flyway of the species. This is also building local conservation capacity and leading to new knowledge on this highly-prized species.

Students help scientists reduce noise pollution in Italian schools (26/03/2018)

School students from Terni, Italy, are teaming up with academics and local officials to tackle environmental threats in their everyday surroundings. The collaboration targets health risks arising from ambient noise.

Timber rooftops reduce construction sector emissions (26/03/2018)

The University of Santiago de Compostella in Spain has constructed a 24-meter long timber rooftop whose innovative design could help cut greenhouse gas emissions from the construction sector and spread environmentally sustainable forestry practices.

Two-stage application for LIFE Resource Efficiency sub-programme (15/02/2018)

The project submission procedure for the 2018 call under LIFE’s Resource Efficiency sub-programme will be organised in two stages. Applicants will be requested to submit an initial concept note in English that is approximately 10 pages long.

LIFEnews February 2018 (15/02/2018)

This issue of LIFEnews welcomes the adoption of LIFE’s new Multiannual Work Programme and its two-stage application process. We also introduce novel technologies to catch microplastics, storm-proof streets and follow migrating birds.

New features of the LIFE Multiannual Work Programme 2018-2020 (15/02/2018)

A two-phase selection procedure for applications to the LIFE sub-programme for environment will streamline administration and save applicants time. This is one among many updates in the new multiannual work programme for the LIFE programme in 2018–2020.

Member States to benefit from €98.2 million in investments to improve citizens' quality of life (15/02/2018)

The EU has launched 10 new Integrated Projects to help implement environmental and climate legislation to its fullest extent. The projects have raised a total budget of €183.9 million and could leverage another €2 billion in complementary funds.

A European Strategy for Plastics in a Circular Economy (15/02/2018)

The European Commission has released its new Strategy for Plastics in a Circular Economy. The strategy builds on prior EU efforts to deal with plastic waste in the environment. It notably states that, by 2030, all plastic packaging in the EU must be reusable or easily recyclable.

Share your views on pollinator decline (15/02/2018)

The EU is asking for your view to help protect declining insect populations. Answers to a 20 minute online questionnaire will help policy makers determine how best to conserve Europe’s pollinators and the food chains that depend on them.

Have your say on the EU Innovation Fund (15/02/2018)

The EU is investing revenues from its Emissions Trading System in projects to demonstrate low-carbon technology through a new Innovation Fund. Have your say on how the fund should work in an online consultation open until 10 April 2018.

Apply to speak at European Sustainable Energy Week (23/02/2018)

The European Sustainable Energy Week has opened applications to speak at its annual Policy Conference from 04-08 June 2018 in Brussels, Belgium. Submit your idea for a panel discussion, round table or seminar online, and don’t forget to register your Energy Day event.

Register your EU Green Week Partner Event (28/02/2018)

Take part in Europe’s transition towards sustainability between 21 April - 10 June. From workshops and public discussions to awareness-raising events for families, details of your Partner Event can be submitted online to register it as an official part of EU Green Week.

Waste Management & Recycling Conference for South East Europe (27/03/2018)

The LIFE programme is holding a workshop at the 9th Waste Management & Recycling Conference and Exhibition for South East Europe. Join us to discuss progress in the region on sustainable waste management.

LIFE Info Day 2018 (04/05/2018)

Save the date! The European Commission is organising an Information & Networking Day on the 2018 LIFE call for project proposals. The event is open to potential applicants presenting project proposals on green technology, nature protection and climate action.

Textile treatments stop microplastics released in the wash (14/02/2018)

Typical laundry loads can release millions of microfibers with each wash. The LIFE MERMAIDS project has found a natural polymer that fixes synthetic fibres in place, reducing by up to 80% the number of microplastics that they release into the environment.

Benicàssim recycles spare tiles into climate-resilient drain (14/02/2018)

The municipality of Benicàssim, on the eastern coast of Spain, is pioneering a sustainable urban drainage system to evacuate torrential rain water from its town centre. Climate change is expected to increase the frequency with which heavy rainfall floods the streets of Mediterranean towns.

EU birdwatchers offer bird's-eye view (14/02/2018)

Ornithology institutes across Europe have brought online the largest citizen science dataset ever produced on biodiversity in the EU. It has uploaded over 40 million observations collected by more than 100 000 amateur birdwatchers.

In this issue (19/12/2017)

Warm wishes from the LIFE team. Before ringing in the New Year, we get into the winter spirit with projects working on warm clothes, reindeer, pine trees, and a look back on 2017.

Flashback 2017 (19/12/2017)

Both harsh and hopeful headlines made environmental news in 2017. Through a year racked by forest fires and hurricanes, the LIFE-programme has continued to support green citizen-led initiatives, clean-tech start-ups, and broader participation in global climate talks.

European Solidarity Corps volunteers deployed via LIFE projects to help save nature (19/12/2017)

Over the past 12 months, more than 40 000 young people from all countries in the EU have signed up to the European Solidarity Corps. The European Commission has launched a first call for LIFE-funded projects to deploy these volunteers in efforts to preserve Natura 2000 sites.

Keeping alien invaders out (19/12/2017)

There are close to a thousand invasive alien species living in Europe today. Experts from LIFE-funded projects met in Milan on 29 November to stop these recent arrivals from damaging local infrastructure, raising health risks and threatening biodiversity in the EU.

Experts on Blue Economy needed (19/12/2017)

The European Commission is looking for experts on the blue economy to help select project proposals for funding through the European Maritime and Fisheries Fund. Experts in business development, marine ecosystem restoration and international cooperation can register online.

LIFE mid-term evaluation (19/12/2017)

The LIFE programme is on track to be effective, efficient, relevant, complementary and to provide EU added value. Those are the main findings of the mid-term evaluation of the only EU programme exclusively dedicated to the environment, nature conservation and climate action.

LIFE Information Day 2018 (04/05/2018)

Save the date. The European Commission is organising an Information & Networking Day on the 2018 LIFE call for project proposals. The event will introduce new funding opportunities for projects on green technology, nature conservation and climate action.

EU Sustainable Energy Week (04/06/2018)

The next EU Sustainable Energy Week will take place in June 2018. Following a month of Energy Days organised all over Europe, the event will feature a ceremony for the EUSEW Awards, and a three-day policy conference in Brussels that will be open to the public.

How pine trees help keep the North Pole cool (19/12/2017)

A new study shows how selectively thinning trees can restore degraded pine forests and help contain the onset of climate change. Researchers also claim that the innovative silvicultural treatment makes forests nicer to visit and more valuable to their communities.

Unfit for waste (19/12/2017)

Ever wondered what happens to all those gift-wrapped socks after Christmas? A report by the European Clothing Action Plan (ECAP) predicts that most of the 6 million tonnes of clothing purchased by EU shoppers in 2015 will end up in landfills in less than five years.

Finns welcome Rudolph’s wild cousin home (19/12/2017)

The wild forest reindeer (Rangifer tarandus fennicus) is making a comeback in the EU. Once common in the snowy forests of Finland, the subspecies became extinct there in the early 20th century. LIFE-funded efforts are now helping to bring it home.

November 2017 (28/11/2017)

This issue of LIFEnews looks forward to EU Green Week 2018. It also reports on LIFE’s latest contributions to the circular economy, notably supporting events at COP23, Ecomondo and the European Week of Waste Reduction.

Join EU Green Week 2018 and show off your city (28/11/2017)

The next EU Green Week will run from 22-24 May 2018. Join Europe’s environmental transition with your own Partner Event on “Green Cities for a greener future” in the month before. Save the date and check online for details.

Ecomondo breathes LIFE into the circular economy (28/11/2017)

From turning old tyres into surfaces for new roads, and recycling poultry manure in the tanning industry to soften leather, this year’s visitors at the Ecomondo exhibition in Rimini, Italy, saw how the LIFE programme was turning the circular economy into reality with a raft of innovative projects.

Sign up for European Industry Day (28/11/2017)

Get your business out there by organising an event or policy workshop for European Industry Week. The event offers a forum for smart, innovative and sustainable industry in Europe, and can help your firm remain competitive in the global age.

LIFE’s Talanoa dialogue at COP23 (28/11/2017)

Climate talks get personal this year as Fiji’s presidency of the 23rd Conference of Parties calls for participation from citizens and civil society. On cue, the LIFE Programme held a side-event in which NGOs, academics and private companies swapped tips on taking climate action.

LIFE Elia-RTE closing conference on power lines and nature conservation (05/12/2017)

Belgium’s largest electricity transmission operator will hold a conference to conclude the LIFE Elia-RTE project. The event will provide an overview of more than six years work in the electricity transmission sector reconciling electrical safety with the protection of biodiversity.

21st European Forum on Eco-innovation (05/02/2018)

This year’s European Forum on Eco-innovation invites companies and public authorities to examine solutions for improving air quality. Innovators will present technologies, business models and governance plans to raise air quality to new standards.

Italian communities prepare for the flood (28/11/2017)

Climate change is making floods in the north of Italy more frequent and less predictable. As part of the LIFE-funded PRIMES project, communities are learning to read early warning systems and respond together to future emergencies.

Happy European Week of Waste Reduction (28/11/2017)

The 9th edition of the European Week for Waste Reduction (EWWR) has swept across Europe. The past week have seen over 13 000 events pull in crowds of volunteers to reduce waste, reuse products and recycle materials.

Stinky mushrooms introduce ice-age bogs (28/11/2017)

Nature lovers visiting Fenn's, Whixall and Bettisfield Mosses in Wales, have celebrated 25 years of LIFE-funded conservation work with a stroll through prehistoric peatlands. Visitors were introduced to the site’s heritage by hosts as unlikely as creepy crawlies and reeking fungi.

LIFE experience at COP23 (25/10/2017)

Civil society is helping climate negotiators thrash out plans to reduce global greenhouse gas emissions. As part of their work, the LIFE-funded project MaxiMiseR is providing countries with tools to craft long-term strategies for reducing their carbon footprint.

In this issue (25/10/2017)

This edition of LIFEnews takes us to Bonn, where COP23 is taking place and LIFE projects will be showcased during a side event, organised by EASME. We look into progress scrubbing Europe’s air clean, cutting-edge techniques to restore its ecosystems, and an EU call to help kick-start the blue economy.

All I need is the air I can’t breathe (25/10/2017)

The number of deaths linked to air pollution is coming down in Europe. Air pollution still causes more than 400 000 premature deaths each year, but government initiatives, like the LIFE-funded Index-Air project, are helping to clean EU air to new standards and save lives.

New LIFE projects kick off in Brussels (25/10/2017)

This month marks the launch of 139 new LIFE projects. The EU has invested €222 million in their efforts to protect nature, the environment and the climate. At a kick off meeting in Brussels, project coordinators outlined their plans in a series of web-streamed presentations. Click on the "read more" to view the full list of beneficiaries.

Conservationists reintroduce species to restore habitats (25/10/2017)

Conservationists are learning to restore habitats by reintroducing species that once lived in them. These man-made environments present challenges for repopulation, but some interventions are already showing results.

LIFE Integrated Projects unveil first results in Parliament (25/10/2017)

Cleaning soot out of Central Europe’s air and preparing Danish utilities for the consequences of climate change are just two examples of LIFE-funded projects showcased in Brussels. These overarching projects are pushing through cross-sectoral reforms across vast territories.

Information day for funding call on Sustainable Blue Economy (09/11/2017)

The European Maritime and Fisheries Fund will hold an information day ahead of its call to foster a "Sustainable Blue Economy". Prospective applicants are invited to learn about call priorities, present their questions and meet peers working in the area.

Clean Air Forum (16/11/2017)

The European Clean Air Forum will bring together mayors, policy experts, senior EU officials and the general public to discuss the threat of air pollution to Europeans today, and the opportunities that arise from dealing with it.

LIFE platform meeting on invasive alien species (29/11/2017)

The region of Lombardy in Italy is organising a platform meeting on invasive alien species within the framework of the LIFE Integrated Project GESTIRE 2020. The project sets out to conserve biodiversity in Lombardy, notably by containing animals and plants introduced there by humans.

LIFE-25 with coffee in Gran Canaria (30/11/2017)

In honour of the 25th anniversary of the LIFE programme, the BAQUA project is holding a networking event at the University of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria. Speakers from eight LIFE-funded projects will introduce their work in a series of hot-seat 10-minute presentations.

21st European Forum on Eco-innovation (05/02/2018)

This year’s European Forum on Eco-innovation invites companies and public authorities to examine solutions for improving air quality. Innovators will present technologies, business models and governance plans to raise air quality to new standards.

Bringing zero emission nature protection areas to life (25/10/2017)

How can EU countries achieve their commitments to halt climate change? Can climate-friendly nature protection create jobs and growth? LIFE IP-ZENAPA is a pioneering LIFE Integrated Project that is helping to answer all those vital questions.

Conserving roamers not road kill (25/10/2017)

Over 180 bears have been run over in Slovenia since 2005. For centuries, hunting and urbanisation have driven the country's brown bears (Ursus arctos) to near extinction; and now cars and trains kill one in seven of them.

Preventing food waste starts early in Hungary (25/10/2017)

Hungarian authorities have revealed that local households throw away twice as much food as previously estimated. As part of the FOODWASTEPREV project, teachers and officials are now chalking up lesson plans to keep tomorrow’s food on our plates and out of our bins.

Green projects near you (25/10/2017)

LIFE Programme now has a data hub to help spot green-minded initiatives in your region and partners abroad. Its interactive map now includes hundreds of LIFE projects launched in 2014 and 2015. Beneficiaries from 2016 will also be featured soon.

LIFE speaks about circular economy at Ecomondo (07/11/2017)

LIFE will be taking part in Ecomondo from 7-10 November in Rimini, Italy. With over 100 000 visitors, the exhibition is the largest event on the green and circular economy held in the Euro-Mediterranean region.

Editorial (21/08/2017)

Bringing you highlights from the LIFE programme, the latest news, events and stories from projects. We hope you enjoy this newsletter. Please share if you do.

Applicants seek more than €1 billion in EU funding from LIFE (26/09/2017)

The European Commission has received 629 proposals for environment and climate protection projects by the LIFE programme's deadlines in September 2017. Applicants come from all 28 EU Member States and have requested more than €1 billion in EU funding – four times the available budget of €254 million.

LIFE projects help reduce ocean pollution (28/09/2017)

With the livelihood of three billion people at stake, world leaders are meeting in Malta next week to protect the seas on which jobs and food chains depend. The two-day Our Ocean conference will bring together 50 heads of state and government ministers to address the mounting strains imposed on Earth’s oceans by overfishing, pollution and climate change. Two LIFE projects have been invited to share their know-how.

LIFE supports climate action in agriculture and forestry (26/09/2017)

Agriculture and forestry have great potential to help the EU meet its ambitious climate goals. Peter Wehrheim from the European Commission’s Climate Action directorate-general calls LIFE a “field laboratory” for developing and testing new methods and knowledge. His colleague Simon Kay also emphasises the programme’s importance in this in-depth interview.

Polish energy project launches documentary (27/09/2017)

The Energy aNew project has just launched a hard-hitting movie. Directed by documentary filmmaker Łukasz Bluszcz, and produced by project beneficiary, WWF Poland, The Tipping Point. Energy aNew is the first Polish feature film about climate change and the inevitable energy revolution. To watch it, visit the project website.

Deadline extended for Natura 2000 Awards (21/08/2017)

The call for application for the 2018 Natura 2000 Awards, which honours leading nature conservation achievements, is open until 15 October 2017. Hurry up and send your application, and get the recognition you deserve!

LIFE platform meeting on 'Reintroduction of species: a tool for the restoration of habitats' (11/10/2017)

LIFE’s latest platform meeting is focusing on how species reintroductions can contribute to habitat restoration. It will bring together experts, practitioners and policy-makers to exchange know-how and collate best practice in the ecological restoration of habitats degraded by human activities. The meeting will take place at the Botanical Garden of Meise in Belgium.

International conference on the conservation of the lesser spotted eagle (11/10/2017)

The LIFE for Eagles Forests project is supporting the conservation of the lesser spotted eagle by ensuring the sustainable management of the forest habitats that are crucial for its existence. Next month it is hosting a conference in Burgas (Bulgaria) that will gather experts from across Europe to share information on recent research into the eagle's ecology and habitats as well as on the different conservation measures taking place in different countries.

Horizon 2020 Info Day in Brussels (08/11/2017)

An Information Day for prospective applicants for Horizon 2020 funding will take place in Brussels on 8-9 November. The event targets potential applicants to the 2018 calls for project proposals under Horizon 2020 Challenge 5 "Climate Action, Environment, Resource Efficiency and Raw Materials".

Clean tech meets clean air (28/09/2017)

Three LIFE-funded projects will take the stage this year at the European Clean Air Forum in Paris, France. The event brings together policy-makers from across EU institutions, national governments and cities throughout Europe. Over two days, they will discuss with NGOs, academics, private companies and the general public, how to reduce air pollution in the EU. The LIFE-funded projects Chimera, CLINSH and Małopolska Region will share their expertise in a session dedicated to business opportunities in the clean air sector.

Bringing sustainable mobility to life on campus (26/09/2017)

To mark EU Mobility Week earlier this month, we visited Erasmus University Rotterdam (the Netherlands), one of the partners in U-MOB LIFE, a project that is promoting sustainable mobility on university campuses through a new knowledge-exchange network.

Detective Teseo goes barking up the beetle tree (26/09/2017)

An Italian LIFE project has trained a dog to nose around hollow trees in the hunt for hermit beetles. The clever mutt named Teseo uses its great sense of smell to detect the odorous larvae of this protected insect.

Wireless solution for water wastage (27/09/2017)

About a third of Europe's drinking water seeps away before it even reaches the consumer. Today, utility companies battling the loss have little access to the sort of smart technology that routinely flies planes, controls energy networks or assists delicate surgery. From January 2018, LIFE funds will help explore how remote-controlled motors for water valves can spot and contain distribution system leaks, in a project that could set new standards for water conservation.