The provisional objectives for the LIFE Programme have been agreed and the next step is to prepare the Multi Annual Work Programme covering the 2021-2024 period. To this end, the European Commission has launched a targeted consultation on the future of the LIFE Programme open to all interested citizens and organisations that wanted to share their perspectives and feedbacks (deadline April 27th).
Euromontana participated to the LIFE consultation and shared its recommendations for the forthcoming LIFE programme based on its experience on the management of LIFE-funded projects and the ones of its members.
In particular, Euromontana called for:
- Increased emphasis on mountain ecosystems and specificities
- Development of projects at the full mountain range scale, including cross-border mountain ranges
- Inclusion of compensation costs linked to attacks by large carnivores under the LIFE conservation programmes and not directly by rural development programmes
- Besides air, water and waste, a special attention to raw materials and the extractive sectors which are extremely impactful on mountain and downstream communities
- Measures addressing short supply chains, circular models and green public procurement
- A long-term perspective on climate projects and attention to existing land use and management practices which could contribute to decarbonisation such as pastureland management, agri-practices, soil restoration etc.
- Different co-funding rates according to the nature of applicants and by types of financed projects.
Moreover, Euromontana expressed a positive feedback on the launch of small grants under the 2021-2027 LIFE Programme. These small grants could really unlock the potential of local actors do deliver practical conservation actions.
The results of the consultation will be analysed by the Commission to draw up the 2021-2024 Work Programme.
If you wish to read more about the post-2020 LIFE, you can have full access to the current proposal here.
28 April 2020
