EU LIFE PROGRAMME Contributing for Nature Conservation in Practice

Abstract

The LIFE programme is the European Union’s funding instrument exclusively devoted to the environment. Since its establishment in 1992, the LIFE “Nature and Biodiversity” strand has co-financed more than 1600 projects. This continuous source of targeted financing has radically changed the capacity of many countries and regions to care for and manage Natura 2000 network sites and to support the EU Biodiversity Strategy. The LIFE projects’ actions vary and can encompass the development of management plans and other policy documents, support the enlargement of the Natura 2000 network, improve knowledge of species and habitats, direct conservation actions, and organize capacity building and awareness raising activities. Most LIFE projects targeting habitat restoration have enabled the concerned sites to achieve favorable conservation status. The LIFE programme for Environment and Climate Action plays a catalyst role to promote the implementation and integration of environmental and climate objectives in other policies and Member State practice. The new LIFE 2014-2020 Regulation (EC) No 1293/2013 establishes the Environment and Climate Action sub-programmes of the LIFE programme for the funding period, 2014–2020, with the budget set at €3.4 billion in current prices. The ‘Environment’ strand of the new programme covers three priority areas: environment and resource efficiency; nature and biodiversity; and environmental governance and information. The ‘Climate Action’ strand covers climate change mitigation; climate change adaptation; and climate governance and information. This communication will present some nature conservation examples and best practices from successful projects addressing conservation challenges in the European Union, with the aim of contributing to their active dissemination and the new LIFE programme approach for 2014-2020.