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Investing in Climate Action,

investing in LIFE

Introduction to the new LIFE

Programme

James Medhurst, ICF GHK

05/06/2014 Polish workshop

Agenda

Introduction to the new LIFE programme

– Why LIFE and then and now

– Overall objectives

– Programme structure and budget

– Multiannual work programme and what is new:

• Financial instruments (more information in afternoon presentation)

• Capacity building projects

• An overview of integrated projects and TA projects (to be launched in

2015 for climate sub-programme).

• Geographical applicability and third country participation

• Target beneficiaries and main features and benefits

Opportunity for Q&A

Why LIFE?

It is the only EU financial instrument fully dedicated to the

environment

LIFE is a catalyst: it provides a platform for the development and

exchange of best practices and knowledge thereby improving,

catalysing and accelerating changes

LIFE is the ideal instrument to show to regional and national

authorities the benefits of investing in the environment sector and

incentivising them to develop strategic frameworks for spending.

LIFE has been successfully tested since 1992: positive feed-back

and final evaluation.

LIFE then and now

LIFE 1992-2013: more than 3100 projects in the fields of

– nature & biodiversity

– other environmental sectors & governance

– information

LIFE 2014 to 2020, two sub-programmes for:

– environment

– climate action

Objectives of the LIFE programme 2014-2017

Article 3 of Regulation (EU) No 1293/2013 (hereinafter ‘LIFE Regulation’),

the LIFE Programme has the following general objectives:

– to contribute to the shift towards a resource-efficient, low-carbon and

climate-resilient economy, to the protection and improvement of the quality

of the environment and to halting and reversing biodiversity loss, including

the support of the Natura 2000 network and tackling the degradation of

ecosystems;

– to improve the development, implementation and enforcement of Union

environmental and climate policy and legislation, and to act as a catalyst

for, and promote, the integration and mainstreaming of environmental and

climate objectives into other Union policies and public and private sector

practice, including by increasing the public and private sector’s capacity;

– to support better environmental and climate governance at all levels,

including better involvement of civil society, NGOs and local actors; and

– to support the implementation of the 7th Environment Action Programme.

LIFE 2014-2020 programme structure

LIFE Programme €3,456.7 (2014-2020)

Sub-programme for

Climate Action

€864.2 (25% of LIFE

budget)

Climate Change

Mitigation

Climate Change

Adaptation

Information &

Governance

Sub-programme for

Environment

€2,592.5 (75% of LIFE

budget) Nature &

Biodiversity

Environment &

Resource Efficiency

Information &

Governance

€1,155 min (55% of ENV

Sub-progrm)

LIFE 2014-2020 Budget

Total budget of €3.5 billion

For projects funded by action grants and financial instruments: €2.8

billion (81% of total)

Environment sub-programme €2.1 billion for projects

– Nature & Biodiversity including related governance and information

€1.22 billion (more than 55% of sub-programme ENV minus financial

instruments)

Climate action sub-programme €0.69 billion for projects

IPs budget: Max. €770 million for 7 years, of which about €604

million for Environment sub-programme

Operating grants to environmental and climate NGOs

€63 million

LIFE 2014-2017 Budget

Total budget of €1.80 billion

For projects funded by action grants and financial instruments:

€1.46 billion (81% of total)

Environment sub-programme €1.44 billion for projects

– Nature & Biodiversity including related governance and

information €0.59 billion (55% of sub-programme ENV minus

financial instruments)

Climate action sub-programme €0.36 billion for projects


€36 million

LIFE 2014 Budget

Total budget of € 404.6 million

For projects funded by action grants and financial instruments:

€324.6 million (81% of total)

Environment sub-programme €245.4 million for projects

Nature & Biodiversity including related governance and information €

132.8 million (55% of sub-programme ENV minus financial instruments)

Climate action sub-programme €79.2 million for projects

IP Budget: €61.5 million (all for Environment sub-programme)


€9 million

Multiannual work programme

Prepared in collaboration with and approved by the Member States (LIFE

Committee positive opinion on 17/02/2014)

Entry into force as of publication

Adopted: 19/03/2014 and English version published on the LIFE website:

http://ec.europa.eu/environment/life/about/documents/mawp2014.pdf

Publication in the Official Journal of the European Union: 16/04/2014 in all official

Union languages except Irish

Frameworks for four years (2014-2017) and 3 years (2018-2020) for

implementing the LIFE Regulation:

– budget,

– project topics for "traditional" projects under the sub-programme environment,

– selection methodology and criteria,

– indicators,

– timetable for calls



Multiannual work programme and what is new:

LIFE 2014-20 places stronger emphasis on…

positive complementarity between LIFE priorities and

strands and other (in)direct Union funding programmes;

multi-purpose design to deliver in several sectors;

replication/transfer preparation as part of the project,

reporting in English;

outcome indicators on project level linked to performance

indicators of the programme

long-term sustainability of outcomes and

green procurement in all projects


New tools from 2014-2020 include…

Financial instruments:

Natural Capital Financing Facility (NCFF – biodiversity and climate

action),

Private Finance for Energy Efficiency (PF44EE – climate action)

More Information to be provided in the afternoon session

New project types:

– Capacity building, preparatory projects, integrated projects (2015 for cliamte

sub-programme), technical assistance projects (2015 for cliamte sub-

programme).

Co-Funding rates:

– Until 2017: max. 60% of eligible costs for all except capacity building (100% of

eligible costs)


Financial instruments…

Objectives of the Natural Capital Finance Facility

– To encourage investments in revenue-generating or cost-saving projects

promoting the conservation of natural capital to meet biodiversity/adaptation

objectives and support green growth;

– To demonstrate to private investors the attractiveness of natural capital

projects; build project pipeline

Objectives of the Private Financing for Energy Efficiency

(PF4EE)

– To make energy efficiency (EE) lending a more sustainable activity across

Europe by incentivising banks in MS to address the sector as a distinct market

segment.

– To increase the availability of debt financing to projets supporting the EE

priorities of MS as set out in National Energy Efficiency Action Plans (NEEAP)

More information provided in the afternoon session


Project types – Capacity building projects…

To improve MS capacity:

– to submit successful applications for funding for projects and to increase the

relative share of successful applications originating from Member States and

– promote integration, complementarity, synergies and replicability of the LIFE

programme into policies, economic activities and other programmes

For Member State (represented by an entity responsible at national

level for the implementation of LIFE) for which:

– The GDP per capita in 2012 was not above 105 % of the Union average, and

either:

o the average absorption level of the indicative national allocation for the

years 2010, 2011 and 2012, as established under Article 6 of Regulation

(EC) No 614/2007, is below 70 % or

o the GDP per capita in 2012 was below 90 % of the Union average, or

o accession to the Union was after 1 January 2013


Project types – Capacity building projects actions

may include…

recruitment of new personnel for LIFE NFP;

facilitating exchanges of experience and promoting the dissemination of project

results;

'train the trainer' approaches;

exchange and secondment programmes between MS;

information activities to the general public;

supporting the implementation of the LIFE FIs;

upgrading the knowledge among potential applicants about the possibilities to use

integrated projects;

enhancing horizontal coordination between LIFE and other EU funds

But not research activities, land purchase or lease, activities to draft applications

for specific projects, activities to manage or provide technical assistance to

ongoing LIFE projects


Project types – Preparatory projects…

Topics:

1) Establishing an EU NGO platform on Best Available Techniques

2) Completing EU28/Pan-European Species Red Lists for species groups

relevant the EU Habitats Directive (Directive 92/43/EEC)

3) Development and update of species action plans for bird species listed in

Annex I and Annex II of the EU Birds Directive (Directive 2009/147/EC)

Paper application


Project types – Integrated projects (2015 for climate

sub-programme) …

"projects implementing on a large territorial scale, in particular, regional,

multi-regional, national or trans-national scale, …

…environmental or climate plans or strategies required by specific

Union environmental or climate legislation, developed pursuant to other

Union acts or developed by Member States' authorities, primarily in the

areas of nature, including, inter alia, Natura 2000 network management,

water, waste, air and climate change mitigation and adaptation, while..

…ensuring involvement of stakeholders and promoting the

coordination with and mobilisation of at least one other relevant

Union, national or private funding source"

Article 2(d) of the LIFE Regulation


An introduction to integrated projects

For whom?

Mainly public administrations or other entities active in the field of environment

and climate protection, capable of coordinating, besides the IP,

complementary actions co-funded by additional private, public (preferably

EU) funds.

For what?

Implementing Union environmental and climate plans or strategies (LIFE

MAWP for 2014-2017); big scale; complementary actions with additional co-

funding; significant involvement of stakeholders

Average size?

2 - 10 beneficiaries; EU contribution: €10 to €15 million (ENV) and €4-10

million (CLIMA); about 3 IPs per Member State, at least one Climate and one

Environment

Co-funding rate?

60%


An introduction to integrated projects

Integrate/mainstream environmental/climate policy in other EU

policies

Implementation of an EU Plan or Strategy

– Water: River Basin Management Plan (RBMP)

– Air: Air Quality Management Plans (AQMP)

– Waste: Waste Management Plans (WMP)

– Nature: Prioritised Action Frameworks (PAF)

– Climate Mitigation: greenhouse gases strategies, low carbon economy

– Climate Adaptation: climate resilient society

Ensure supplementary funding sources for complementary actions,

preferably EU funding

Involve all relevant stakeholders - and think BIG!


Project types – Technical assistance projects (2015

for climate sub-programme) …

For whom?

For those who would like to submit an IP, but need assistance in

finalising the application

For what?

Support in drafting the IP application; should be applied for a year before

the intended IP

Average size?

Maximum 1% of the allocation for IP's => maximum €100,000

Co-funding rate?

60%


Geographical applicability and third country

participation

Principle: Applicable where the Treaty on the

European Union applies

Participation of certain Third Countries is possible on the

basis and in line with the conditions of a cooperation

agreement

Cooperation with international organisations is

possible, when necessary to reach general LIFE

objectives

Oversees countries and territories are also eligible on

the same bases as third country participation


Geographical applicability and third country

participation - Article 6 of the LIFE Regulation

Activities outside the Union or in overseas countries & territories:

1. Without prejudice to Article 5, the LIFE Programme may finance

activities outside the Union and in overseas countries and

territories (OCTs) in accordance with Decision 2001/822/EC (the

Overseas Association Decision), provided those activities are

necessary to achieve Union environmental and climate objectives

and to ensure the effectiveness of interventions carried out in

Member State territories to which the Treaties apply.

2. A legal person established outside the Union may be able to

participate in the projects referred to in Article 18, provided the

beneficiary coordinating the project is based in the Union and the

activity to be carried out outside the Union meets the requirements

set out in paragraph 1 of this Article.


LIFE ENV + CLIMA: General features

The programme addressed similar stakeholders as previous

programme e.g.:

– public authorities (national, regional and local)

– NGOs

– research institutes

– private enterprises (mainly SMEs)

– sector-based organisations involved in climate change.

Emphasis on replicability / transferability and long-term sustainability of the project results

Not focused on research( H2020)

Not large infrastructure projects, and not focused on rural or regional development ( agricultural, structural funds)

Support & monitoring from Contracting Authority (EASME or Commission) and external monitoring team

Opportunity for

Q&A

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