LIFE: the EU programme for the Environment and Climate Action

Anne Burrill

European Commission

Antwerp, 24/03/20165

Why LIFE? It is the only EU financial instrument fully dedicated to the

environment

LIFE is a catalyst: it provides a platform for the development and

exchange of best practices and knowledge thereby improving,

catalysing and accelerating changes

LIFE is the ideal instrument to show to regional and national

authorities the benefits of investing in the environment sector and

incentivising them to develop strategic frameworks for spending.

LIFE has been successfully tested since 1992: positive feed-back

and final evaluation.

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LIFE 2014-2020 – Objectives contribution towards a resource-efficient, low-carbon and climate-resilient economy; protecting and improving the environment; maintaining and improving biodiversity, ecosystems and, in particular, the Natura 2000 network

improving the development, implementation and enforcement of Union environmental and climate policy and legislation

integrating and mainstreaming of environmental and climate objectives into other Union policies

improving environmental and climate governance

implementing of the 7th Environment Action Programme

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LIFE 2014-2020 Structure

LIFE Programme €3,456.7 (2014-2020)

Sub-programme for

Climate Action

€864.2 (25% of LIFE

budget)

Climate Change

Mitigation

Climate Change

Adaptation

Information &

Governance

Sub-programme for

Environment

€2,592.5 (75% of LIFE

budget) Nature &

Biodiversity

Environment &

Resource Efficiency

Information &

Governance

€1,155 min (55% of ENV

Sub-progrm)

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NGOs

LIFE 2014-2020 - Budget Total budget of €3.5 billion

For projects funded by action grants and financial instruments: €2.8 billion (81% of total)

Environment sub-programme €2.1 billion for projects

Nature & Biodiversity including related governance and information €1.22 billion (more than 55% of sub-programme ENV minus financial instruments)

Climate action sub-programme €0.69 billion for projects

IPs budget: Max. €770 million for 7 years, of which about €604 million for Environment sub-programme

Operating grants to environmental and climate NGOs €63 million

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LIFE -- General features Beneficiaries may include: Private companies(mainly SMEs), NGO, public administration active in the field of environment and climate protection – alone or in partnership

Emphasis on replicability/transferability and longterm sustainability of the project results

Not focused on research( H2020)

No large infrastructure, not focused on rural or regional development ( agricultural, structural funds)

Encourages:

positive complementarity between LIFE priorities and strands and other (in)direct Union funding programmes;

multi-purpose design to deliver in several sectors;

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What is eligible for cofunding? In general: All cost directly related to the project objectives

Personnel costs (if public authority: 102% rule)

External assistance (limited to 35% of the budget)

Equipment (special rules on depreciation)

Overheads (limited to 7%)

Consumables/Other costs

Land purchase (only for nature or climate change objectives, and with dedication to nature purposes)

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Activities outside the EU Can be eligible if:

Necessary to achieve Union environmental or climate objectives,

Necessary to ensure the effectiveness of interventions carried out in the Member State territories to which the Treaties apply, and

the coordinating beneficiary is established in the EU*.

*As for activities in the EU, in that case also an associated beneficiary not established in the EU can participate.

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LIFE Tools: Action grants "Traditional" Projects:

Pilot projects

Demonstration projects

Best practice projects

Information, awareness and dissemination projects

Integrated projects

Technical assistance projects

Preparatory projects

Capacity building projects 27/03/2015 9

LIFE Tools – Operating grants for NGOs

Co-finance the functioning of EU level environment and climate NGOs, i.e. non-profit making entities which

pursue an aim of general Union interest,

are primarily active in the field of environment or climate action,

are involved in the development, implementation and enforcement of Union policy and legislation.

Around 25-30 beneficiaries (NGOs) supported every year

Average EU contribution around EUR 325.000

Max. EU co-funding rate 70% (average 50%)

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LIFE Tools: Financial Instruments For whom?

Mainly SMEs active in the field of environment and climate protection (NCFF), SME's, households, public administrations wishing to improve their energy efficiency (PF4EE).

For what?

Credits/bank guarantees/ … for environment or climate projects

Average size?

1 recipient;

EU contribution: €5 to €10 million (NCFF); €40,000 - €… (PF4EE)

Implementation

Delegated to the EIB

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The LIFE Multiannual Work Programmes

Frameworks for four years (2014-2017) and 3 years (2018-2020) for implementing the LIFE Regulation:

budget,

project topics for "traditional" projects under the sub-programme environment,

selection methodology and criteria,

indicators,

timetable for calls

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Environment - Environment & Resource Efficiency (ENV)

Thematic priorities: Water including the marine environment Waste Resource efficiency including soil and forests, and green and circular

economy Environment and health including chemicals and noise Air

"Traditional": Pilot and demonstration projects

Eligible, high quality projects are considered top priority if a project topic is fully applicable and the project is demonstrative EU wide

Integrated waste, water, and air projects implementing Union environmental plans

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Environment – Nature & Biodiversity (NAT)

"Traditional" pilot, demonstration, best practice

Eligible, high quality projects are considered top priority if a project topic is fully applicable

Integrated nature projects implementing Prioritised Action Frameworks (PAFs)

Implementation of the Biodiversity Strategy to 2020, preferably with pilot or demonstration projects or projects financed through the financial instrument Natural Capital Financing Facility (NCFF)

*At least 55% of the action grants budget under the sub-programme

Environment is for nature & biodiversity, including´related governance & information

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Environment – Environmental Governance & Information (GIE)

"Traditional": information and awareness raising projects and projects facilitating knowledge sharing;

New focus: Support for cooperation networks and best practices for the application of environmental regulations and enforcement

New focus: Promotion of a better governance and support for environmental NGOs.

Eligible, high quality projects are considered top priority if a project topic (see MAWP 2014-2017) is fully applicable.

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Climate Action – Climate Change Mitigation (CCM)

"Traditional": Pilot (=innovative, but not research!) and demonstration projects

Integrated climate change mitigation projects implementing established Union, national or regional climate change mitigation plans (see LIFE Regulation and MAWP 2014-2017)

Projects funded by the financial instrument Natural Capital Financing Facility (NCFF) and Private Finance for Energy Efficiency (PF4EE)

Emphasis on post-carbon society, low carbon strategies, and land use management

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CCM – Areas of particular interest (2014)

Land use sector: e.g. landscape and land management

strategies and practice which limit emissions, particularly

organic soils, conservation of natural carbon sinks

Greenhouse gas monitoring and accounting of land use change

and forestry

Sustainable use of solid biomass

Agriculture: implementation of low carbon farming practices

with a transformational impact and analysis and development

of improvements for existing climate measures under CAP

Climate Action – Climate Change Adaptation (CCA)

"Traditional": Pilot (=innovative, but not research!) and demonstration projects

Integrated climate change adaptation projects implementing established Union, national or regional climate change adaptation plans (see LIFE Regulation and MAWP 2014-2017)

Projects funded by the financial instrument Natural Capital Financing Facility (NCFF)

Emphasis on the implementation of adaptation strategies

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CCA - Areas of particular interest (2014)

cross-border management of floods, fostering collaborative agreements based on the EU Floods Directive

trans-boundary coastal management, with emphasis on densely populated deltas and coastal cities

mainstreaming adaptation into urban land use planning, building layouts and natural resources management

mountain and island areas, with emphasis on sustainable and resilient agricultural, forestry and tourism sectors

sustainable management of water; combating desertification and forest fires in drought-prone areas.

Climate Action – Climate Governance & Information (GIC)

"Traditional": information and awareness raising projects and projects facilitating knowledge sharing;

Support for cooperation networks and best practices for the application of environmental regulations and enforcement

Promotion of a better governance and support for environmental NGOs.

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The "traditional" projects For whom?

Private companies (mainly SMEs), NGOs, public administrations active in the field of environment and climate protection

For what?

Pursuit of general and specific objectives of the priority areas.

Sub-programme for environment: additional focus on thematic priorities and on project topics (LIFE multiannual work-programme for 2014-2017 - LIFE MAWP for 2014-2017)

Average size?

1 to 5 beneficiaries; EU contribution: €500,000 to €1.5 million

Co-funding rate?

60%; NAT: for priority habitats/species: 75%

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LIFE – "pilot" - example Soil remediation: testing of new methodology (alkaline hydrolysis) as a technology for remediation of pesticide contaminated soil and groundwater

Testing and applying of an entirely new method

NorthPestClean, DK

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LIFE – "demonstration" - example Resource- and cost-efficient public housing - Extremadura

Putting together elements tested elsewhere to a new entity/in a new context

Edea, ES

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LIFE – "best practice" - example Preserve valuable habitats (meanders and oxbow lakes of Emajõgi River) and guarantee stability of priority fish species in a Natura 2000 area

2013

2011

HappyFish (EE) 27/03/2015

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"gov&info" - examples Bring poison cases to court

Make governments create a legal framework

VenenoNo (ES)

Raise awareness about Natura 2000

Create a Natura2000 day

Conéctate- activa tu propria riqueza Red Natura2000 (ES)

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Which subprogramme?

Environment

•Projects falling under one of the project topics

•Climate mitigation or adaptation is a by-product but not the central objective

•Clear link to the specific objectives for the three environmental priority areas

Climate

•Climate mitigation or adaptation is the main goal

•Clear link to the specific objectives for the three climate action priority areas

LIFE – Integrated Projects Implementation of an EU Plan or Strategy

Water: River Basin Management Plan (RBMP)

Air: Air Quality Management Plans (AQMP)

Waste: Waste Management Plans (WMP)

Nature: Prioritised Action Frameworks (PAF)

Climate Mitigation: greenhouse gases strategies

Climate Adaptation: low carbon economy, climate resilient society

Ensure supplementary funding sources for complementary actions, preferably EU funding

Integrate/mainstream environmental/climate policy in other EU policies

Involve all relevant stakeholders - and think BIG!

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LIFE – IPs – the concept

Implementation of a Plan or Strategy means:

Ultimate goal: implementation of all elements/actions of the plan in question

There have to be longterm commitments to implement the entire plan in the given geographical area / cities by all relevant actors

Not all aspects have to be covered by the LIFE IP itself

In a large geographical area/ covering a significant number of cities

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IPs – the concept Illustration of a plan/strategy implemented by the IP and by complementary actions:

Action 1

Action 2

….

Complementary actions/measures (co-)

financed by non-LIFE funds

(EU/national/private).

LIFE Integrated Project LIFE co-financing: Beneficiaries contribution:

60% 40%

No other EU funds used!!

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IP versus "traditional"

Implementation of a Plan:

The IP serves as a catalyser for the implementation of an EU Plan from A to Z in a given region/number of cities by providing an example of good practice for an efficient and well coordinated implementation.

The traditional project is not directly linked to a Plan or is simply limited to the implementation of only one or several aspects of a Plan.

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IP versus "traditional" (cont.)

IP: Emphasis on co-ordinating and ensuring the commitment of all relevant actors to implement the whole plan (to a great part outside the IP).

"Traditional": Emphasis on concrete conservation actions/demonstration/piloting.

Stand-alone projects, with optional links to a Plan/Strategy

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Water IP example Objective: to implement the target plan and thereby provide flood protection, environment's capacity for water retention, water quantity, water quality, biodiversity and/or recreation benefits

Desired additional outcomes: contribute to improving ecosystem services; deliver also for N2000 in a whole river basin or large catchment resilience to future climate change

Necessary elements: according to the target plan (incl. targeted infrastructure investment, use of low impact measures like green infrastructure for depollution, land management and land use change); supplementary funding and complementary actions outside the LIFE programme.

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Technical Assistance Projects (TAs)

For whom?

For those who would like to submit an IP, but need assistance in finalising the application

For what?

Support in drafting the IP application; should be applied for a year before the intended IP

Average size?

Maximum 1% of the allocation for IP's => maximum €100,000

Co-funding rate?

60%

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Preparatory projects

Topics (2014):

1) Establishing an EU NGO platform on Best Available Techniques

2) Completing EU28/Pan-European Species Red Lists for species groups relevant the EU Habitats Directive (Directive 92/43/EEC)

3) Development and update of species action plans for bird species listed in Annex I and Annex II of the EU Birds Directive (Directive 2009/147/EC)

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What awaits the beneficiaries (1) Monitoring of Project Outcomes: Follow-up on the

targeted environmental/climate outcomes related to at least one of the relevant outcome indicators and to the replicability/transferability of the related actions

Monitoring of Project Progress : Ensure timeliness and full compliance of the project with the proposal

Reporting: Every 18 months technical and financial, 1 mid-term report with payment request, 1 final report with payment request. In English; annexes in language of the application (relevant translation costs incurred after project start are eligible)

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What awaits the beneficiaries (2)

Support: An external Monitoring Team (MoT) for technical and financial FAQ related to reporting and project management; EASME/Commission for IPs under the sub-programme for environment for bigger issues (modification requests, payments), but always through MoT

Visits: MoT: first 9 months after project start, then once a year; EASME/Commission: at most once in the lifetime of the project, normally towards the end.

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2015 Call - Provisional Calendar

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Grant Type Phase Opening Date Closing Date

Traditional Projects 01 June 2015 15 September 2015

Preparatory Projects 01 June 2015 30 October 2015

Technical Assistance Projects

01 June 2015 Mid September 2015

Integrated Projects

Concept Notes 01 June 2015 01 October 2015

Full Proposals Mid April 2016

NGO Framework Partnerships

May 2015 July 2015

Application Package (per project

type, per priority area)

Guidelines for Applicants (and forms)

Evaluation Guidelines

Model Grant and Common Provisions

Comparative Document (is LIFE the right instrument? Which

strand?):

Vs. Horizon 2020 vs. structural funds

NAT (vs. BIO) vs. ENV vs. CCA vs. CCM // GIE vs. GIC?

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Thank you for your attention!

For more information, see:

http://ec.europa.eu/environment/life/index.htm

which contains the LIFE Regulation,

MAWP, Application Packages, LIFE project

database, National Contact Points…

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