The LIFE program

The LIFE program is the EU’s funding instrument for environment and climate action. The general objective of LIFE is to contribute to the implementation, updating and development of the EU environmental and climate policy and legislation by co-financing projects with European added value.

LIFE started in 1992 and four complete phases of the program have been carried out to date (LIFE I: 1992-1995, LIFE II: 1996-1999, LIFE III: 2000-2006 and LIFE +: 2007-2013). During this period, LIFE has co-financed some 3954 projects throughout the EU, contributing approximately 3.1 billion euros to environmental protection.

The European Commission (DG Environment and DG Climate Action) manages the LIFE program. The Commission has delegated the implementation of many components of the LIFE program to the Executive Agency for Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (EASME). External selection, monitoring and communication teams assist the Commission and EASME. The European Investment Bank will manage the two new financial instruments (NCFF and PF4EE).

More information here: https://cinea.ec.europa.eu/life_en

LIFE in Spain

Since the LIFE program was launched by the European Commission in 1992, a total of 776 projects have been co-financed in Spain. Of these, 478 were focused on environmental innovation, 268 on nature conservation and biodiversity; 9 on information and communication and 1 was an operating grant for NGOs.

Under the new LIFE program, 7 climate change adaptation projects, 9 climate change mitigation projects, 2 environmental governance and information projects, 2 climate governance and information projects and 1 preparatory project have been co-financed in Spain by the EU. Altogether, these projects have represented an investment of 1.3 billion euros, of which 600 million euros have been contributed by the European Community.