LIFE is a Program introduced by the European Union in 1992, with which projects on environmental issues proposed by the member countries are co-financed. The objective is to provide specific support for the development and implementation of Community environmental policy and legislation, in particular to pursue the objectives of the Seventh Community Environment Action Program. Funded projects can be proposed by public or private operators, bodies or institutions.

LIFE is the funding program for the period from 1 January 2014 to 31 December 2020, and has a total budget of over 3.450 million of euro.

The main objectives of the LIFE Program are:

1. contribute to the transition to an efficient economy in terms of resources, with lower carbon emissions and resilient to climate change. Contribute to the protection and improvement of the quality of the environment and to the interruption and reversal of the biodiversity loss process, including support for the Natura 2000 network and the fight against the degradation of ecosystems;
2. improve the development, implementation and application of Union environmental policy and legislation. Catalyzing and promoting the integration and dissemination of environmental and climate objectives in other Union policies and in practice in the public and private sectors, including through increasing their capacity;
3. further support environmental climate governance at all levels, including increased participation by civil society, NGOs and local actors;
4. support the implementation of the 7th Environmental Action Program.

 

The LIFE + program includes the following two sub-programs.

• LIFE "Environment":
  o environment and resource use;
  o nature and biodiversity;
  o governance and information on the environment.

• LIFE "Climate Action":
  o mitigation of climate change;
  o adaptation to climate change;
  o governance and information on climate.

• LIFE "Information and communication".

Through the "calls" that are annually proposed by the European Commission it is possible to present projects in one of the LIFE strands.

To find out more about the LIFE Program, you can download informative material and forms, check the deadlines of the last "call" and view LIFE projects you can visit the dedicated website of the European Commission - Environment (Insights in English): https://ec.europa.eu/easme/en/life