The European Commission has announced an investment of more than €103 million in seven long‑term strategic LIFE projects aimed at tackling Europe’s climate and environmental challenges through integrated, long‑term action. The funding represents around 36% of a total €284 million investment package under the EU’s flagship LIFE Programme.
The selected projects are located in Finland, France, Greece, the Netherlands, Portugal, Slovakia and Spain and will be implemented over extended timeframes, with activities running well into the next decade. Their shared objective is to reduce climate change impacts, restore ecosystems, improve environmental quality and support sustainable competitiveness across the EU.
Several of the funded projects have a strong marine and coastal dimension, including LIFE SIP GR Blue in Greece, which focuses on restoring marine ecosystems and addressing pollution, marine litter and underwater noise along coasts and islands. In Portugal, the LIFE IP AGRILOOP project will support the transition towards a circular agroforestry economy in the Azores, contributing to sustainable land use and resource efficiency in island territories.
Other projects address climate resilience, water management, nature restoration and circular economy transitions across different European regions. Among them is LIFE HumedalES in Spain, LIFE’s largest project to date, which aims to restore approximately 26,200 hectares of wetlands across multiple Natura 2000 sites.
By adopting a strategic, integrated and long‑term approach, these projects are expected to play a key role in supporting the implementation of EU environmental and climate policies. The LIFE Programme contributes directly to EU objectives including climate neutrality by 2050, the EU Biodiversity Strategy for 2030, the Marine Strategy Framework Directive, the Water Framework Directive and broader clean energy transition goals.