The LIFE Programme is the EU’s funding instrument for the environment and climate action. The general objective of LIFE is to contribute to the implementation, updating and development of EU environmental and climate policy and legislation by co-financing projects with European added value.
The beneficiaries of the Programme include public bodies, non-governmental organisations, universities and private organisations. The Coordinating Beneficiary should reside in the E.U., while other associated beneficiaries may be in countries outside the E.U. under certain conditions.
The LIFE programme in the programming period 2014-2020 is structured in two sub-programmes with an overall budget of about €3.46 billion.
The sub-programme for Environment covers three priority areas:
- Environment and Resource Efficiency (demonstration and pilot projects)
- Nature and Biodiversity (best practice, demonstration and pilot projects),
- Environmental Governance and Information (information, awareness and dissemination projects).
The sub-programme for Climate Action covers three priority areas:
- Climate Change Mitigation (best practice, demonstration and pilot projects),
- Climate Change Adaptation (best practice, demonstration and pilot projects),
- Climate Governance and Information (information, awareness and dissemination projects).
LIFE Integrated Projects are a special category of projects implementing environmental or climate plans or strategies required by specific EU environmental or climate legislation at a large territorial scale (regional, multi-regional, national or trans-national). This type of projects should ensure the involvement of stakeholders and promote coordination with and the mobilisation of at least one other relevant EU, national or private funding source.
Integrated Projects shall aim towards the full implementation of the targeted plan or strategy, in the sense that they shall include some strategic actions to catalyse a process and mobilise supplementary commitments and funding that will lead, in due time, to the full implementation of the plan or strategy.
Since the beginning of the LIFE Programme in 1992 up to 2018, a total of 254 LIFE projects with a Greek Coordinator have been finances, of which two refer to Integrated Projects: LIFE-IP 4 Natura, aiming at the implementation of the Priority Action Framework (PAF) for the Natura 2000 network in Greece, and the LIFE-IP AdaptInGR, aiming at the implementation of the National Strategy on Climate Change Adaptation.
The LIFE National Contact Points (NCP) provide support to the organisations that implement or wish to submit a proposal at the LIFE Programme. In Greece the LIFE NCPs are:
Mr. Georgios Protopapas,
NCP LIFE/Environment
E-mail: gprotopapas@prasinotameio.gr
Mr Dimitrios Niavis,
NCP LIFE/Climate Action
E-mail: d.niavis@prv.ypeka.gr