Celebrating the successes of LIFE projects in 2023

This year, LIFE projects have been recognised across media, events, and exhibitions. Spanning Europe, these include conservation efforts, farming practices, citizen science and engagement, and manufacturing processes. 10 of them are featured as our highlights of the year.  

Northern Italy is abuzz with conservation work to protect invertebrate pollinators, predominantly bees and butterflies. Nearly 40% are at risk of extinction, an alarming statistic where nearly 4 out of 5 crops and wild plants depend on them. LIFE PollinACTION is mitigating this crisis by creating a green infrastructure network across rural and urban areas. It is restoring habitats, implementing nature-based solutions, and converting arable crops and rural or urban marginal areas into key habitats for pollinators. The project won first prize for Land Management Practices in the European Bee Award 2023.  

And further down around the Mediterranean Sea in Spain, Italy, and Greece, underwater species are doing their part to replenish habitats and capture carbon. LIFE Transfer is improving lagoon sites by recolonising 8 Natura 2000 sites with species of seagrass. These plants, which have carpeted lagoons for centuries and are vital for aquatic life, have been wiped out by pollution. LIFE Transfer’s story and progress was featured in the November issue of Ocean on Euronews, one of the most-watched news channels in Europe. 

Efforts to boost habitats and species populations in the Czech Republic’s Natura 2000 sites are not slowing down the country’s biodiversity loss. LIFE IP N2K Revisited aims to improve this, by establishing a more effective management system. Its work includes habitat assessment; setting annual priorities; site management; training employees; and implementing conservation measures. LIFE IP N2K Revisited produced The Values of Nature documentary film which won the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations Prize at the Agrofilm Festival.   

In the northern wetlands of Italy, a serious conservation effort is underway to save an endangered species, the spadefoot (Pelobates fuscus insubricus). LIFE-INSUBRICUS is breeding tadpoles over 5 years across 14 Natura 2000 sites. A photograph featuring LIFE-INSUBRICUS won Highly Commended in the ‘Rewilding Europe’ category of the European Photographer of the Year Awards. Titled ‘Their future in our hands’, the photo shows a herpetologist releasing a tadpole into the wild, where it can develop into a mature spadefoot toad and help boost the population. 

In France, the region of Brittany only makes up 4% of the country’s territory yet contributes 14% of the annual ammonia (NH3) emissions. LIFE ABAA is tackling the levels of NH3 emissions from agricultural practices in Brittany. The project integrates Best Available Techniques (BAT), financial support, existing tools, possibilities, knowledge, agencies, private firms, to help up to 9 000 farmers reduce emissions. It aims to reduce emissions by 15% in the pilot territory by 2025, and by 2030, 15% across Brittany and 5% in Europe. LIFE ABAA won the Innovation prize for its app AgrivisioN'air supporting farmers in decision making, at the SPACE International Exhibition for Animal Farming in France.   

In Spain and Portugal, the Life-Als, also called “See & Save – For Earth, For Life", project is looking at grapes, pistachios, and olives. The project is allowing producers to reduce significantly the use of pesticides, fertilisers, water, diesel and electricity. Combining technologies such as AI processing will result in savings across water resources, energy, pesticides and fertilisers, and greenhouse gases, and help transition to net zero agriculture. The agricultural AIs system used by Kubota was awarded in the SITEVI Innovation Awards. 

In Sweden, the first project of its scale LIFE-TREATS tackling the issue of textile waste, targeting the industry as a whole, and creating new circular economy opportunities. A plant at Södra Cell Mörrum will process 50 000 tons of coloured blended post-consumer textile waste, producing 63 000 tonnes of pulp with 50% recycled content. Large volumes of waste are being diverted from being landfilled or incinerated, saving carbon emissions, and reducing water and energy consumption. LIFE TREATS won the International Cooperation Award.   

Climate change impacts are being felt across the continent, particularly in the Mediterranean basin with urban heat island effects, urban soil sealing, and surface run-off. This is more pronounced in cities, mostly affecting vulnerable people. LIFE METRO ADAPT has mainstreamed climate change adaptation strategies and measures in the new Territorial Plan of the Metropolitan City of Milan, Italy, covering 133 municipalities. The project implemented two nature-based solutions and carried out successful methods to engage citizens and transform policymaking. LIFE METRO ADAPT won the LIFE Climate Award 2023, which honours outstanding projects aimed at climate change mitigation and adaptation. In Nature and Environment categories, LIFE Luchs Pfälzerwald and LIFE Plants for Plants emerged as the distinguished recipients of the LIFE Awards. 

And to round up the year, there has been no shortage of events and exhibitions where LIFE projects have been front and centre, demonstrating their successes and solutions. 15 projects and initiatives covering cities and regions driving change, public sector mobilisation, and energy efficiency investments were on display at the Covenant of Mayors Investment Forum - Energy Efficiency Finance Market Place 2023. The projects have been financed through programmes such as Horizon 2020, LIFE Clean Energy Transition, LIFE Climate Change Adaptation and Mitigation and European Local ENergy Assistance ELENA.  

As one of the EU’s flagship events, European Sustainable Energy Week (EUSEW) 2023 was the showcase of the year in the field of energy efficiency and renewable energy. The conference featured discussions on innovation solutions for the clean energy transition, citizen engagement, energy efficiency, renewables, international cooperation and decarbonisation. As Europe faced increased energy prices, this year’s theme focused on ‘Accelerating the clean energy transition – towards lower bills and greater skills’. A call out for EUSEW 2024 has been published, for applications to host sessions, events, enter awards, exhibit, and arrange local energy days across Europe.  

2023 was a stellar year for LIFE projects and LIFE Programme looks forward to continued achievements in 2024.  

Beyond the featured highlights, it’s crucial to recognise that every LIFE project, regardless of its mention in this article, holds significant value, contributing substantially to the EU Green Deal’s objectives.