Investing in Climate Action, investing in LIFE Introduction to the new LIFE Programme Charlotte Slater, ICF GHK 12/06/2014 Greek 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 : 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  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 programme structure

LIFE 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 Budget  Total budget of € 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 € 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)  Operating grants to environmental and climate NGOs €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:  Publication in the Official Journal of the European Union: 16/04/2014 in all official Union languages except Irish  Frameworks for four years ( ) and 3 years ( ) 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 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

Multiannual work programme and what is new: New tools from 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)

Multiannual work programme and what is new: 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

Multiannual work programme and what is new: 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

Multiannual work programme and what is new: 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

Multiannual work programme and what is new: 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

Multiannual work programme and what is new: 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

Multiannual work programme and what is new: 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 ); big scale; complementary actions with additional co- funding; significant involvement of stakeholders  Average size? 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%

Multiannual work programme and what is new: 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!

Multiannual work programme and what is new: 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%

Multiannual work programme and what is new: 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

Multiannual work programme and what is new: 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.

Multiannual work programme and what is new: 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