The Commission invests €86 million in new Strategic Integrated Projects focusing on improving water quality and availability, cleaning up polluted rivers, improving fire and flood protection, and reducing greenhouse gas emissions. This funding will support projects awarded as part of the 2023 calls for proposals to help Europe become a climate-neutral continent by 2050.
The selected projects are located in Denmark, Estonia, Poland, Slovenia and Iceland and will help national, regional and local authorities implement national and European environmental and climate legislation.
They are expected to mobilise significant additional investment from other EU funding sources. This includes agricultural, structural, regional and research funds, in addition to national funds and private-sector investment.
In Denmark, the LIFE ACT project brings together 27 municipalities to ramp up local climate action plans. Receiving €28.4 million in support (of which the EU will provide €17 million), it will reduce municipal CO₂ emissions by 75% and make 2,900 km of coastline more resilient to climate change by 2050.
In Estonia, the LIFE SIP WET-EST project focuses on improving water quality. With €29.9 million in support (of which the EU will provide €17.9 million), the project is future-proofing the Western Estonian river basin by controlling pollution, restoring ecosystems and reducing risks from droughts and floods.
Poland is receiving a €21.9 million budget (of which the EU will provide €13.1 million) to tackle major recycling and landfill challenges in the Pomorskie Voivodeship region. 31 project partners, including the regional government, municipalities and universities, have set an ambitious 65% recycling target while aiming to cut landfill waste to 10% by 2035.
The LIFE4ADAPT project will help Slovenia better prepare for droughts, forest fires and floods, which have hit the country in recent years. The €26.5 million funding (of which the EU will provide €14.2 million) will help the country’s Climate Service Centre and Climate Portal finance new ways of managing climate risks and launching educational programmes.
In Iceland, the LIFE ICEWATER project unites government agencies, researchers and municipalities to enhance water quality. With €39.6 million in support (of which the EU will provide €23.8 million), the project promotes sustainable water use and reduces pressure on vital resources.
The Commission also adopted the work programme for the implementation of the LIFE Programme in 2025-2027. It sets out key strategies, actions and funding opportunities with the aim to drive Europe’s transition to a clean, circular, competitive and climate-resilient economy. The work programme establishes an overall budget of €2.3 billion for projects tackling circular economy, zero pollution, nature and biodiversity, climate mitigation and adaptation, and clean energy.
