Analytics, Ecology, EU – Baltic States, Modern EU

EU financial assistance for nature conservation and environment protection date back to early 1980s, following some initiatives of 1970s; e.g. in 1972, measures to limit pollution and improve waste management were adopted. Two initial regulations two Regulations broadened the scope of EU financial instruments: firstly, Regulation No 1872/84, which ran from 1984 to 1987 and opened the door for the EU to grant financial support to projects in three fields: 1. Development of new clean technologies; 2. Development of new techniques for measuring and monitoring the natural environment; and 3. Help to protect habitats of endangered species of particular importance to the EU, as defined by Directive 79/409/EEC.

The first Regulation was superseded by Regulation No 2242/87 - ACE II - which ran until July 1991. Its scope was widened to include the financing of demonstration projects in the fields of waste, contaminated site restoration and remedial action for land damaged by fire, erosion and desertification.

In 1992 a new all-encompassing EU environment fund was created, which targeted five main priority fields. With this fund and its first-phase budget of € 400 mln, LIFE I (Council Regulation 1973/92) was born. It followed by LIFE 2 and 3 with a special program LIFE+ during 2007-13. Present LIFE 2021-27 program includes the budget of €5.45 billion with four sub-programmes: nature and biodiversity; circular economy and quality of life; climate change mitigation and adaptation; and clean energy transition.

More in: https://ec.europa.eu/easme/en/section/life/life-history-life

The EU LIFE programs since 1992 have co-financed more than 5,400 projects in the EU states and outside; at any given moment some 1,100 projects are in progress. The budget for 2014-2020 is set at €3.4 billion; the so-called “LIFE integrated projects” were introduced in 2014 to help the states comply with key EU environmental, nature and climate legislation. For the next long-term EU budget for 2021-2027, the Commission is proposing to increase funding by almost 60% for LIFE.

Modern LIFE projects

LIFE programs are closely connected to the EU’s political priorities, i.e. the European Green Deal, which is about improving the well-being and prosperity of Member states’ citizens, while protecting nature and climate. LIFE projects have played an important role for many years and have a big impact on the ground; they make a real difference to the environment and people's lives. The LIFE integrated projects are aimed at improving regional environmental quality by helping the EU member states implement the EU nature protection legislation in six areas: nature, water, air, waste, climate change mitigation and climate change adaptation. These projects support implementation of environmental and climate legislation in a Union-wide coordinated manner and on a large territories while leveraging funding from various EU sources, including national financing and private investments.

More on LIFE’s integrated projects in: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=onoRGvVtSNY&feature=youtu.be

Mobilizing investments

The LIFE investment is set to mobilize over €6.5 billion of complementary funds; the EU member states can also make use of other EU funding sources, including agricultural, regional and structural funds, Horizon 2020, as well as national funds and private sector investment.

On European LIFE projects in: https://ec.europa.eu/easme/en/life

The large-scale projects will support the EU's ambition of becoming the world's first climate-neutral continent by 2050. They will help to restore and conserve ecosystems and species we all depend on, move towards a circular economy, improve air and water quality, boost sustainable finance and increase climate resilience in Europe.

The projects are supposed to have the following impacts:

= Nature conservation: Integrated projects in Estonia, Ireland and Cyprus will help to conserve Europe's nature and improve the management of the EU Natura 2000 network of protected areas. Many important habitats and species will benefit, from forests, farmlands, grasslands, coastal areas and peat lands to pollinators. These habitats also serve as valuable carbon sinks.

= Waste management: A project in Greece will promote waste prevention and re-use, reducing the amount of municipal waste going to landfill. New waste indicators and standards will be developed to help build the circular economy.

= Air quality: LIFE funding will assist Slovakia in complying with EU directives on air quality, reducing the population's exposure to harmful air pollutants. Neighbouring Czechia, affected by similar air quality problems, will also benefit.

= Water: Integrated projects working at river basin-scale will protect and improve water quality in Ireland and Latvia's rivers and lakes, enabling the countries to meet their obligations under the EU Water Framework Directive.

On Directive 2000/60/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council (23 October 2000) establishing a framework for Community action in the field of water policy in: https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=CELEX:32000L0060

= Climate change adaptation: LIFE funding will also support increased resilience to climate change. Projects will integrate climate change adaptation into planning and other policy areas in Spain as well as building adaptation capacity in France using nature-based solutions.

= Sustainable finance: Also in France, an integrated project will help bridge significant knowledge gaps in this area and bring green financial products into the mainstream.

More information in the following websites: 

= Q&A;

= LIFE programme for the Environment and Climate Action; 

= European Green Deal; 

General reference: https://ec.europa.eu/commission/presscorner/detail/en/IP_20_251