LIFE-MAPPINGAIR/PL

"Do you know what you breathe?" – educational and information campaign for cleaner air

LIFE Programme

The LIFE programme is the only financial instrument the European Union devoted exclusively to co-financing projects in the field of protection and improvement of the environment and human impact on climate and adaptation to its changes. Its main purpose is to support the process of implementing Community environmental law, the implementation of EU policy in this area, as well as the identification and promotion of new solutions for environmental problems in nature.

During over 20 years of the program, nearly 4,180 projects from all over Europe, including 69 from Poland, received funding from the European Commission. The current LIFE Programme – the Environment and Climate Action Program, covering the 2014-2020 financial perspective, is a continuation of the LIFE + financial instrument operating in 2007-2013.

In the 2014-2020 financial perspective, the LIFE Programme is divided into two sub-programs: for the environment and for the climate. The budget for 2014-2017 is EUR 1,347 million for environmental measures and EUR 449.2 million for climate action. Each of these sub-programs covers specific priority areas:

Environment sub-programme
I Environment and Resource Efficiency

Activities supported under this priority area include:

  1. to develop, test and demonstrate policy or management approaches, best practices and solutions, including development and demonstration of innovative technologies, to environmental challenges, suitable for being replicated, transferred or mainstreamed, including with respect to the link between the environment and health, and in support of resource efficiency-related policy and legislation, including the Roadmap to a Resource Efficient Europe;
  2. to support the application, development, testing and demonstration of integrated approaches for the implementation of plans and programmes pursuant to Union environmental policy and legislation, primarily in the areas of water, waste and air;
  3. to support the application, development, testing and demonstration of integrated approaches for the implementation of plans and programmes pursuant to Union environmental policy and legislation, primarily in the areas of water, waste and air;
II Nature and Biodiversity

Activities supported under this priority area include:

  1. supporting the development and implementation of Union policies and regulations in the field of nature and biodiversity, including the EU Strategy for Biodiversity up to 2020, Directives 92/43/EEC and 2009/147/EC, in particular through application, development, testing and presentation of approaches, best practices and solutions
  2. to support the further development, implementation and management of the Natura 2000 network set up under Article 3 of Directive 92/43/EEC, in particular the application, development, testing and demonstration of integrated approaches for the implementation of the prioritized action frameworks prepared on the basis of Article 8 of that Directive;
  3. to improve the knowledge base for the development, implementation, assessment, monitoring and evaluation of Union nature and biodiversity policy and legislation, and for the assessment and monitoring of the factors, pressures and responses that impact on nature and biodiversity within and outside the Union.
III Environmental Governance and Information

Activities supported under this priority area include:

  1. promoting awareness-raising on environmental issues, including generating public and stakeholder support for shaping Union environmental policy, and promoting knowledge of sustainable development and new sustainable consumption models;
  2. to support communication, management, and dissemination of information in the field of the environment, and to facilitate knowledge sharing on successful environmental solutions and practice, including by developing cooperation platforms among stakeholders and training;
  3. to promote and contribute to more effective compliance with and enforcement of Union environmental legislation, in particular by promoting the development and dissemination of best practices and policy approaches;
  4. to promote better environmental governance by broadening stakeholder involvement, including NGOs, in consultation on and implementation of policy.
Climate change sub-programme
I Climate change mitigation

Activities supported under this priority area include:

  1. contributing to the implementation and development of EU policy and legislation on climate change mitigation, including mainstreaming across policy areas, in particular by developing, testing and demonstrating policy or management approaches, best practices and solutions for climate change mitigation;
  2. improving the knowledge base for the development, assessment, monitoring, evaluation and implementation of effective climate change mitigation actions and measures and to enhance the capacity to apply that knowledge in practice;
  3. facilitating the development and implementation of integrated approaches, such as for climate change mitigation strategies and action plans, at local, regional or national level;
  4. contributing to the development and demonstration of innovative climate change mitigation technologies, systems, methods and instruments that are suitable for being replicated, transferred or mainstreamed.
II Climate Change Adaptation

Activities supported under this priority area include:

  1. supporting the development and implementation of EU policies in the field of adaptation to the effects of climate change, including mainstreaming this theme in various policy areas, in particular through the development, testing and demonstration of approaches, best practices and policies or governance in the context of adaptation to the effects of climate change, including where relevant ecosystem approaches;
  2. improving the knowledge base for the development, assessment, monitoring, evaluation and implementation of effective actions and measures related to adaptation to the effects of climate change, giving priority, where appropriate, to an ecosystem approach, as well as increasing the potential for putting this knowledge into practice;
  3. facilitating the development and application of integrated approaches, such as strategies and action plans to adapt to the effects of climate change at local, regional or national level, giving priority to the ecosystem approach where appropriate
  4. supporting the development and presentation of innovative technologies, systems, methods and instruments for adapting to the effects of climate change, suitable for replication, imitation or mainstreaming.
III Climate governance and information

Activities supported under this priority area include:

  1. activities to raise awareness of climate issues, including obtaining public and stakeholder support for the creation of EU climate policy, as well as promoting knowledge on sustainable development
  2. to support communication, management, and dissemination of information in the field of the climate and to facilitate knowledge sharing on successful climate solutions and practice, including by developing cooperation platforms among stakeholders and training;
  3. working towards and supporting more effective compliance and enforcement of EU climate legislation, in particular by promoting the development and dissemination of best practices and policy approaches;
  4. working towards better climate management by increasing the involvement of stakeholders, including NGOs, in policy consultation and implementation.

The National Fund for Environmental Protection and Water Management (NFEPWM) has been acting as the LIFE Programme National Contact Point since 2008 and supports Polish applicants by an innovative and the only European program for additional co-financing of LIFE projects. Due to such a solution, 64 LIFE projects are currently being implemented in Poland with a budget of nearly PLN 620 million and PLN 260 million support from the Fund.

NFEPWM as the National Contact Point performs the following functions:

  1. consultation of applications for co-financing from the EC under the LIFE Programme and assessment of their completeness;
  2. cooperation with the European Commission, including representing Poland on the LIFE Steering Committee;
  3. promotional activities and informing the public about the LIFE Programme to co-finance environmental and climate protection activities;
  4. supporting Applicants in preparing applications, including through training and consultations.

Detailed information on the LIFE Programme, its assumptions and funding options are available on the following websites:

European Commission website dedicated to the LIFE Programme: https://ec.europa.eu/easme/en/life/

The website of the National Fund for Environmental Protection and Water Management devoted to the LIFE program (in Polish):http://www.nfosigw.gov.pl/oferta-finansowania/srodki-zagraniczne/instrument-finansowy-life/

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