LIFE sets the pace for environmental governance

The LIFE Programme supports projects to enhance environmental governance in the European Union. Good governance is essential for implementing EU law effectively, as well as involving civil society and enabling a sustainable future. LIFE funds a variety of projects aiming to have a positive environmental, social innovation and economic impact. 

LIFE environmental governance is unique. LIFE environmental governance projects are unusual in that they combine different elements to bring about a green and just transition - such as building capacity, improving public participation, compliance, access to justice, promoting behavioural change and raising awareness. They create alliances between public authorities, the private sector, academia, NGOs and civil society to work towards the common goal of changing citizens’ lives through improved choices, better consumer protection and enhanced environmental governance.

In Ireland, LIFE EMERALD measured air quality and provided forecasts as part of implementing the EU Ambient Air Quality Directives. A European coalition including the Irish Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Department of the Environment, Health Service Executive, University College Cork, VITO (Flemish Institute for Technological Research) and the Asthma Society of Ireland gathered and published air quality data. 

Before LIFE EMERALD, gaps in air quality data made it hard to introduce efficient measures to improve it. Now, high-resolution air quality maps are publicly available for citizens and decision-makers alike. Coalition partners collaborated to collect and disseminate air quality data, raising awareness through media campaigns and education programmes in schools, hospitals and local authorities. 

The data also supported effective air quality action plans in Ireland and contributed to better air quality. ‘Without LIFE support, and the commitment and passion of all stakeholders involved, we could have never achieved these results’ says Patrick Kenny, Senior Manager at the EPA.

Behavioural change is crucial for the green transition. In Hungary, the Green & Safe LIFE-styles initiative significantly improved the use of sustainable and safe chemical products in the home. ‘Ecoteams’ involving 920 people persuaded some 31 000 individuals to look for sustainability information on product labels or to use greener and safer cleaning products. Media campaigns and events nearly doubled awareness of the EU Ecolabel among Hungarian consumers between 2019 and 2023, with a resulting change in buying habits.

LIFE environment governance projects are not just about promoting new initiatives - they also aim to implement existing ones. In Italy, for example, LIFE MAGIS helped launch and promote the Product Environmental Footprint (PEF), the related Made Green in Italy scheme, as well as developing new PEF rules for product categories to stimulate innovation and encourage consumers to purchase greener products. The project created rules for seven categories including hard sheep cheese, leather goods and ice cream, and worked with 21 companies to measure and reduce the environmental footprint of their products. Thanks to LIFE MAGIS, the PEF initiative will be replicated and rolled out in other sectors across the EU.

As our climate warms, bigger and more frequent algae blooms are increasingly harmful to both human and environmental health. The AlgaeService for LIFE creating a circular algae economy whilst warning consumers in Lithuania and Poland of the dangers of drinking algae-contaminated water.

There were three strands to the project - harvesting algae biomass to produce biogas and fertiliser; running an awareness raising campaign using reports, videos and leaflets; and working with authorities on new regulations. The combined impact of these efforts influenced the drafting of the Lithuanian Hygiene norm and earned praise from the European Commissioner for the Environment Virginijus Sinkevičius, who told the closing conference ‘I would like to thank you personally for looking for a solution to collect the excess biomass. This project is one of many proofs of how the European Union empowers resourceful people and that we can achieve ambitious results with the help of science.’

LIFE environmental governance projects have achieved remarkable outcomes - implementing EU legislation; raising awareness of environmental issues; and encouraging both consumers and policy makers to change behaviour. They are crucial if the LIFE Programme is to succeed in its aim of improving environmental governance, enforcing environmental law and promoting a sustainable future. If you want to be part of the change, applications are now open for 571 million EUR in funding for LIFE projects in 2024, including 6.5 million EUR for environmental governance projects. 

The four LIFE projects align with a number of EU polices, including: Ambient air quality and cleaner air for Europe Directive , Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation and Restriction of Chemicals (REACH) Regulation, Circular Economy Action Plan , Water Framework Directive and Energy end-use efficiency and energy services Directive.