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European Climate, Infrastructure and Environment Executive Agency
News article2 June 2021

EU honours outstanding LIFE projects

The EU’s LIFE programme has announced the winners of the LIFE Awards 2021.

LIFE Awards 2021_1

The Awards recognise the most innovative, inspirational and effective LIFE projects in three categories: nature, environment and climate action. For this 15th edition, a virtual ceremony took place during the EU Green Week 2021 – Europe’s most prestigious environmental event.

THE WINNERS

From 15 finalists, three projects were chosen by a high-level jury as this year’s winners.

LIFE Award for Nature:

In the Slovak Republic, the LIFE ENERGY team put a stop to many birds colliding with powerlines. They installed 8 600 bird flight diverters along 77 km of the most dangerous areas. These diverters protect 700 birds from collisions every year. The team also planted 550 trees to enhance existing wind breaks, helping the birds to see power lines better.

LIFE Award for Environment:

The team behind LIFE REUSING POSIDONIA used dried Posidonia oceanica seagrass as an effective and inexpensive thermal insulation in 14 social housing units for poor and disadvantaged people on the Balearic island of Formentera (Spain). This local, traditional and environmentally friendly construction method reduced emissions by 60%, cut energy use by 75%, and water by another 60%.

LIFE Award for Climate Action:

LIFE FORECCAsT helped forest managers in France’s Haut-Languedoc Regional Nature Park put in place climate change adaptation strategies. They built a mobile application to help foresters assess and manage the risks to their land. And 25 sites tested climate-resilient tree species and forest management practices that use less water.

The three victors demonstrated an outstanding contribution to environmental, economic and social advancements. They also showed excellence in impact, replicability, policy relevance, cross-border cooperation and cost-effectiveness.

LIFE Citizens’ Prize

The LIFE Citizens’ Prize saw the public get to know the finalists and vote for their preferred project online. In the end, it was TARTALIFE that won the popular vote, and it was a worthy winner. The team helped to reduce the numbers of sea turtles being caught up in fishing nets along 15 Italian coastal areas.

LIFE4Youth Award

Volunteers play a vital role in LIFE projects. Italy’s Choose Nature (Choo-na!) project saw more than 300 young volunteers from the European Solidarity Corps (ESC) going on field missions from August 2017 to August 2019. Their objective was to take care of 11 endangered bird species like the Stork, Golden eagle, Kentish plover, Lanner falcon and Lesser kestrel. Choose Nature (Choo-na!) won the special LIFE4Youth Award for its stellar work.

Read the official press release here.

Watch the event highlights below:

Details

Publication date
2 June 2021
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