Nature & Biodiversity – Standard Action Projects (SAP)

Closed

Programme Category

EU Competitive Programmes

Programme Name

LIFE: ENVIRONMENT AND CLIMATE ACTION

Programme Description

The LIFE Programme is the EU’s funding instrument for the environment and climate action. The general objective of LIFE is to contribute to the implementation, updating and development of EU environmental and climate policy and legislation by co-financing projects with European added value. After 22 years, €3.4 billion and 4.170 projects, the LIFE Programme continues to finance actions for the environment and climate action. For the 2021-2027 the total budget of the LIFE Programme is €5.4 billion.

Programme Details

Identifier Code

LIFE-2022-SAP-NAT

Call

Nature & Biodiversity – Standard Action Projects (SAP)

Summary

The specific objectives of the sub-programme ‘Nature and Biodiversity’ are the following:

  • to develop, demonstrate, promote and stimulate scale up of innovative techniques, methods and approaches (including nature-based solutions and ecosystem approach) for reaching the objectives of the EU legislation and policy on nature and biodiversity, and to contribute to the knowledge base and to the application of best practices, including through the support of the Natura 2000
  • to support the development, implementation, monitoring and enforcement of EU legislation and policy on nature and biodiversity, including by improving governance at all levels, in particular through enhancing capacities of public and private actors and the involvement of civil society, also taking into due consideration the possible contributions provided by citizen science
  • to catalyse the large-scale deployment of successful solutions/approaches for implementing EU legislation and policy on nature and biodiversity, by replicating results, integrating related objectives into other policies and into public and private sector practices, mobilising investment and improving access to finance.

Detailed Call Description

Projects should fall under at least one of the two areas of intervention:

  • Intervention area: “Space for Nature” Any project aimed at improving the condition of species or habitats through areabased conservation or restoration measures falls within the eligible scope of the intervention area “Space for Nature”. This may include, for example, projects for restoring or improving natural or semi-natural habitats, or habitats of species, both within and outside existing protected areas. This may also include projects for creating additional protected areas (or improving the biodiversity focus and contribution of existing protected areas), ecological corridors or other green infrastructure, projects testing or demonstrating new site management approaches, projects acting on pressures, etc.
  • Intervention area: “Safeguarding our species” Any project aimed at improving the condition of species (or, in the case of invasive alien species, reducing their impact) through any relevant activities other than area-based conservation or restoration measures falls within the scope of the intervention area “Safeguarding our species”. Considering the broad range of threats that may act on species in addition to the degradation of their habitats, such projects may apply to a wide range of relevant measures, spanning from hard infrastructural works to awareness raising of stakeholders.

Applicants should take into account, when conceiving their project applications, that only wild flora and fauna and natural and semi-natural habitats may be targeted by LIFE Nature and Biodiversity projects.

Call Total Budget

€242 millions

Financing percentage by EU or other bodies / Level of Subsidy or Loan

The costs will be reimbursed at the funding rate fixed in the Grant Agreement (maximum 60%). You can apply for a higher project funding rate if your project is:

  1. a ‘project targeting exclusively priority habitats/species’ (75%), i.e. targets exclusively:
    • a priority habitat or species for the implementation of the EU Habitats Directive 92/43, as listed in the relevant annexes of this Directive
    • a bird species considered as “priority for funding” by the Committee for Adaptation to Technical and Scientific Progress set up pursuant to Article 16 of the EU Birds Directive 2009/14719 (https://ec.europa.eu/environment/nature/conservation/wildbirds/life_ priority/index_en.htm)
    • a habitat type or species listed in the annexes of the Habitats Directive 92/43, the conservation status of which has been assessed as unfavorable-bad and with a declining trend (U2-) in the most recent available EU- and national-level biogeographical region assessments
    • a habitat type or species (other than birds) the EU-level threat status of which has been assessed as “endangered” or worse in the most upto-date published version of a European species red list or habitats red list, including in territories not covered by these lists
    • any other habitat or species in territories not covered by the European species or habitats red lists, the threat status of which has been assessed as “endangered” or worse in the most up-to date published version of global IUCN red lists of species or habitats.
  1. a ‘project targeting priority and non-priority habitats/species’ (67%), i.e.: targets both, but with a clear focus on priority species or habitats and in a way that most of its activities are designed to explicitly target the priority species or habitats in a direct way, bringing them concrete direct benefits.

Thematic Categories

  • Environment and Climate Change

Eligibility for Participation

  • Associations
  • Central Government
  • Chambers
  • Consumer Organisations
  • Educational Institutions
  • Employers
  • Farmers Unions
  • Farmers, Agriculturalists
  • Financial Institutions
  • Fishermen, Aquaculturists, Owners of Vessels
  • International Organisations
  • Large Enterprises
  • Local Authorities
  • National Contact Points - NCPs
  • NGOs
  • Non Profit Organisations
  • Producer Associations
  • Researchers/Research Centers/Institutions
  • Services Providers
  • Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs)
  • State-owned Enterprises

Call Opening Date

17/05/2022

Call Closing Date

04/10/2022

National Contact Point(s)

Department of Environment (Ministry of Agriculture, Rural Development and Environment)

Your National Contact Point can help you with:

  • Support during proposal submission
  • Counseling during your project’s lifetime
  • One-to-ne guidance and consultation
  • Workshops and seminars
  • Networking
  • Partner search

To find out more about the LIFE Programme and the free services your National Contact Point offers, visit www.lifecyclamen.com.cy.

Contact Person:
Marilena Papastavrou, Environment Officer
Contact Phone: +357 22 408 926
Contact Email: mpapastavrou@environment.moa.gov.cy

Website