On 13 July, the European Executive Agency for Climate, Infrastructure and the Environment (CINEA) has officially opened the first LIFE Call for Proposals under the new programme 2021-2027. The programme comprises four sub-programmes: nature & biodiversity, circular economy and quality of life, climate change mitigation and adaptation and the clean energy transition.

The EU’s funding instrument for the environment and climate action provides grants on 33 topics covering all project categories (strategic nature protection projects, integrated strategic projects, technical assistance projects, standard action projects and “other actions”, including coordination and supporting actions). They also include grants for environmental NGOs.

The LIFE Team has published on the CINEA’s LIFE programme pages for available translations of useful material to guide applicants through the new LIFE programme and the opened calls. Applicants can find recorded info sessionsincluding presentation slides on all the open calls providing further insight into project ideas sought.

Specifically, the topics are divided by type of project / sector / subprogramme as follows:

STANDARD ACTION PROJECTS (SAP)
Deadline: 30 November 2021

Nature & Biodiversity
Topic:
– LIFE-2021-SAP-NAT Nature and Biodiversity
Budget: 132.470.000 €
– LIFE-2021-SAP-NAT-GOV – Nature Governance
Budget: 3.000.000 €

Circular Economy & Quality of Life
Topic:
– LIFE-2021-SAP-ENV Circular Economy and Quality of Life – Standard Action Projects (SAP)
Budget: 95.420.656 €

LIFE-2021-SAP-ENV-GOV Environment governance – Standard Action Projects (SAP)
Budget: 5.000.000 €

Climate Change Mitigation & Adaptation
Topic:
– LIFE-2021-SAP-CLIMA-CCA – Climate Change Adaptation
Budget: 30.500.000 €

– LIFE-2021-SAP-CLIMA-CCM – Climate Change Mitigation
Budget: 30.500.000 €

– LIFE-2021-SAP-CLIMA-GOV Climate Governance and Information
Budget: 8.000.000 €

STRATEGIC INTEGRATED PROJECTS  (two steps)
Deadline:  19 October 2021  (concept note); 07/04/2022 (second stage)
Sub-Programme Nature & biodiversity: strategic nature projects (SNAP)
Topic: LIFE-2021-STRAT-NAT-SNAP-two-stage
Budget: 70.000.000 €

Sub-Programme Circular Economy & Quality of LIfe
Topic: LIFE-2021-STRAT-ENV-SIP-two-stage
Budget: 52.800.000 €

Sub-Programme Climate Mitigation & Adaptation (SIP)
Topic: LIFE-2021-STRAT-two-stage Climate Change
Budget: 35.000.000 €

Technical Assistance Projects (TA)
Deadline: 22 September 2021

Sub-Programme Nature & biodiversity
Topic: LIFE-2021-TA-PP-NAT-SNAP – Technical Assistance preparation of SNAPs
Budget: 170.053 €

Sub-Programme Circular Economy & Quality of LIfe
Topic: LIFE-2021-TA-PP-ENV-SIP – Technical Assistance preparation of ENV SIPs
Budget: 287.829 €

Clima Mitigation & Adaptation
Topic: LIFE-2021-TA-PP-CLIMA-SIP – Technical Assistance preparation of CLIMA SIPs
Budget: 350.000 €

OTHER ACTION GRANTS – Coordination & Support Action (OAG)
Clean Energy Transition
Deadline 12 January 2022

Building a national, regional and local policy framework supporting the clean energy transition
Topic:
– LIFE-2021-CET-LOCAL: Technical support to clean energy transition plans and strategies in municipalities and regions
Budget: 7.000.000 €

– LIFE-2021-CET-POLICY: Towards an effective implementation of key legislation in the field of sustainable energy
Budget: 6.000.000 €

– LIFE-2021-CET-GOV: Multilevel climate and energy dialogue to deliver the energy Governance
Budget: 5.500.000 €

Accelerating technology roll-out, digitalisation, new services and business models and enhancement of the related professional skills on the market
Topic:
– LIFE-2021-CET-BUILDRENO: Large-scale rollout of industrialised deep renovation solutions
Budget: 6.000.000 €

– LIFE-2021-CET-AUDITS: Uptake of energy audits recommendations for the energy transition of companies
Budget: 5.500.000 €

– LIFE-2021-CET-VALUECHAIN: Fostering sustainable energy uptake along the whole value chain in industry and services
Budget: 4.000.000 €

– LIFE-2021-CET-BUILDSKILLS: BUILD UP Skills – rebooting the National Platforms and Roadmaps
Budget: 6.000.000 €

– LIFE-2021-CET-COOLING: Facing the increase in cooling demand of buildings in the coming years
Budget: 4.000.000 €

– LIFE-2021-CET-SMARTSERV: Establish innovative business models and contractual schemes for smart and sector-integrating energy services
Budget: 4.000.000 €

– LIFE-2021-CET-SMARTREADY: Creating the conditions for a global improvement of smart readiness of European buildings
Budget: 6.000.000 €

Attracting private finance for sustainable energy
Topic:
– LIFE-2021-CET-MAINSTREAM:  Mainstreaming sustainable energy finance and integrating energy performance in EU sustainable finance criteria and standards
Budget: 5.500.000 €

– LIFE-2021-CET-INNOFIN:  Innovative financing schemes for sustainable energy investments
Budget: 5.500.000 €

Supporting the development of local and regional investment projects
Topic:
– LIFE-2021-CET-HOMERENO: Integrated Home Renovation Services
Budget: 6.000.000 €

– LIFE-2021-CET-HOMERECOM: EU community of Integrated Home Renovation Services practitioners
Budget: 2.000.000 €

– LIFE-2021-CET-COALREGIONS: Community-driven clean energy transition in coal, peat and oil-shale regions
Budget: 3.000.000 €

– LIFE-2021-CET-PDA: Disruptive PDA – Technical Assistance to advance market boundaries for sustainable energy investments
Budget: 6.000.000 €

Involving and empowering citizens in the clean energy transition
Topic:
– LIFE-2021-CET-ENERPOV: Addressing building related interventions for vulnerable districts
Budget: 5.500.000 €

– LIFE-2021-CET-ENERCOM: Developing support mechanisms for energy communities and other citizen-led initiatives in the field of sustainable
Budget: 7.000.000 €

SUPPORT FOR ONG
Deadline: 28 September 2021
– Operating grants Framework partnerships (ID: LIFE-2021-NGO-OG-FPA)
Budget: 37.110.000 €
– SGA LIFE operating grants (ID: LIFE-2021-NGO-OG-SGA)
Budget: 12.370.000 €

More information on the LIFE Programme are available here: LIFE – Support for applicants (europa.eu)