EU Commission Funds €400 Million Climate, Biodiversity & Circular Economy Projects

The European Commission announced today that it has today approved more than €396 million in funding for climate and environmental sustainability projects in areas including nature and biodiversity, circular economy and quality of life, climate change mitigation and adaptation, and clean energy transition.

The new investments are being made under the LIFE Programme, the EU’s funding instrument for the environment and climate action.

The funding will support 171 new projects from almost all EU countries, with co-funding requirements under the program anticipated to mobilize a total investment of more than €720 million, which represents a 28,5 % increase compared to last year.

Investments will include €140 million for nature and biodiversity projects focused on restoring ecosystems, habitats and animal conservation, €94 million for circular economy and improved quality of life projects in areas including water use, electrical waste, chemicals, air and noise pollution, as well as to enhance environmental governance and information, €65 million for will climate change mitigation, climate change adaptation and climate governance projects, and €97 million for projects to improve market and regulatory conditions in the EU for the clean energy transition, notably promoting and rolling out energy efficiency and small-scale renewable energy solutions.

Over its 31 years of existence, the LIFE Programme has co-financed more than 6,000 environmental and climate action projects across the EU and associated countries. The 171 projects announced today were selected from more than 751 applications, submitted under the LIFE 2022 call for proposals, published in May 2022.

The European Commission has increased funding for the LIFE Programme by almost 60% for the 2021 – 2027 period, bringing it to €5.43 billion.

Virginijus Sinkevičius, EU Commissioner for Environment, Oceans and Fisheries, said:

“This year’s LIFE projects are more ambitious than ever. As we continue to face the climate change, pollution and biodiversity loss crises, the LIFE Programme is a living proof of our commitment to move from ambition to action and create a real difference for EU citizens with projects that will accelerate the green transition, improve our daily lives and preserve our natural ecosystems.”