The European Commission has announced more than €103 million in EU funding for seven environment and climate projects in Finland, France, Greece, the Netherlands, Portugal, Slovakia and Spain.
The money will be provided through the EU’s LIFE programme, which funds projects on the environment, climate and clean energy, the Commission announced on Monday.
The funded projects cover water resilience, nature restoration, cutting waste through a circular economy — where materials are reused and recycled rather than thrown away — and land-use measures linked to climate risks.
Finland’s ACWA LIFE will receive €16.5 million to restore and protect streams, lakes, coastal waters, river basins and groundwater.
In France, €15.6 million will go to LIFE ADAPT EST to strengthen climate resilience in the Grand Est region through work including climate expertise, water governance and infrastructure designed to withstand extreme weather.
Greece’s LIFE SIP GR Blue will get €8.9 million for work on restoring marine ecosystems and reducing pollution, including marine litter and underwater noise across coasts and islands.
Largest single LIFE project in Spain
In the Netherlands, the CEL4LIFE project will receive €6.9 million to support Limburg’s transition to a circular economy, with a target of halving raw material use in chemicals, manufacturing and construction by 2030, the Commission said.
Portugal’s LIFE IP AGRILOOP will receive €15.8 million to introduce circular solutions in the Azores across agroforestry, agrifood and tourism.
Slovakia’s NatAdaptSK will get €10.1 million for “nature-based solutions” — such as using natural features and ecosystems — focused on water, agriculture, forests and biodiversity to reduce climate risks for communities.
Spain’s LIFE HumedalES will receive €29.7 million to restore around 26,200 hectares of wetlands across 107 Natura 2000 sites — part of an EU-wide network of protected areas — and is described by the Commission as the largest project ever financed under the LIFE programme.
The LIFE programme has co-financed more than 6,500 projects since 1992, with a €5.43 billion budget for 2021–2027 under the EU’s long-term budget.
