The European Commission has recently allocated over EUR 358 million to 132 new projects across Europe under the LIFE programme for the environment and climate action. These new projects were selected from more than 895 applications submitted under the LIFE 2024 call for proposals.
The amount allocated represents more than half of the total investment needs of EUR 536 million; the remainder comes from national, regional and local administrations, public–private partnerships, businesses and civil society organisations.
The investment will cover all sectors of the LIFE programme, mobilising:
• EUR 225 million (including EUR 147 million provided by the EU) for nature and biodiversity, with 34 projects aimed at restoring natural habitats, coastal ecosystems and freshwater areas, and improving the conservation status of birds, insects, amphibians and mammals.
• EUR 133 million (of which EUR 76 million from the EU) to support the circular economy and improve quality of life, with 31 projects contributing to the transition towards a clean, circular, energy-efficient and climate-resilient economy.
• EUR 96 million (including EUR 58 million from the EU) for 19 projects designed to strengthen climate change resilience and mitigation efforts.
• EUR 82 million (including EUR 77 million from the EU) for 48 projects aimed at accelerating the transition to clean energy.
LIFE projects play a significant role in the EU’s transition towards a clean, circular and resilient economy, helping to safeguard and restore EU biodiversity.
Over its 33 years of existence, the LIFE programme has co-financed more than 6,500 environmental and climate action projects throughout the EU and associated countries.
The current LIFE programme began in 2021 and will run until 2027, with a budget of EUR 5.43 billion. Grants funded under the LIFE programme are managed by CINEA, the European Climate, Infrastructure and Environment Executive Agency.