The future of the LIFE programme Brussels, 6-7 November 2019 CONFERENCE REPORT GETTING IN TOUCH WITH THE EU In person All over the European Union there are hundreds of Eu- rope Direct information centres. You can find the address of the centre nearest you at: http://europa.eu/contact On the phone or by email Europe Direct is a service that answers your questions about the European Union. You can contact this service: – by freephone: 00 800 6 7 8 9 10 11 (certain operators may charge for these calls), – at the following standard number: +32 22999696, or – by electronic mail via: http://europa.eu/contact FINDING INFORMATION ABOUT THE EU Online Information about the European Union in all the official languages of the EU is available on the Europa website at: http://europa.eu EU publications You can download or order free and priced EU publica- tions from EU Bookshop at: http://bookshop.europa.eu. Multiple copies of free publications may be obtained by contacting Europe Direct or your local information centre (see http://europa.eu/contact). DISCLAIMER: The content of this document does not re- flect the official opinion of the organisers. Neither the European Union institutions and bodies, nor any person acting on their behalf may be held responsible for the use which may be made of the information contained therein. PDF ISBN 978-92-76-10630-2 doi:10.2779/092877 KH-02-20-093-EN-N © European Union, 2020 | Reuse is authorised provided the source is acknowledged. Photos: © European Union 2019 The EU does not own the copyright in relation to the following elements: Photos page 45 & 47 © Joao Silva. The reuse policy of European Commission documents is regulated by Decision 2011/833/EU (OJ L 330, 14.12.2011, p. 39). For any use or reproduction of photos or other material that is not under the EU copyright, permission must be sought directly from the copyright holders. Introduction 3 Opening address 4 First moderated panel discussion 5 Role of the LIFE programme 7 Break-out sessions 9 1. Nature and biodiversity 10 2. Circular economy and quality of life 16 3. Climate action 26 4. Clean energy transition 32 Keynote speech 44 Second moderated panel discussion 45 Concluding speech 47 1 © Mara Callaert 2 Introduction The European Commission held a high-level conference in Brussels on 6 and 7 November on the future of the LIFE programme, as part of the consultation process for the next programming period (2021-2027). The aim was to present to stakeholders the new LIFE programme, which for the first time will include a sub-programme on the clean energy transition, and obtain their input on the future direction of LIFE. Participants’ recommendations and reflections will feed into the strategic plan- ning on the new programme, including the multiannual work programmes. The conference’s objective was to define what LIFE can do in concrete terms to accelerate the ecological, climate and clean energy transition. Moderated panel discussions looked at the following issues: • The strategic achievements and areas LIFE should target. • How LIFE can contribute to the Commission’s environmental and climate objectives. • How LIFE will support a clean and fair energy transition. • Success stories so far from LIFE and, for energy, from Horizon 2020. Four separate break-out sessions focused on the different sub-programmes in the new LIFE programme: circular economy and quality of life; nature and biodiversity; climate mitigation and adaptation; and clean energy transition. For each break-out session, three participatory workshops took place, aimed at identifying and discussing the concrete activities that could be supported by LIFE in the future to address the most pressing challenges and increase the programme’s impact. Participants from a wide range of stakeholder groups considered these issues in world café style debates. They were asked to identify the main challenges where LIFE could help make a difference and what specific activities the programme should finance to address them. Partic- ipants then explored the key activities identified in more detail. The outcomes of these work- shops were presented at plenary sessions during day 1 and 2. The conference ended with a conclusion by the European Commission and information about the next steps. This report presents a detailed overview of the discussions held and their outcomes. 3 Opening address Making LIFE relevant for the challenges of the future Daniel Calleja Crespo Director General, DG Environment This is a very important event for the European Commission. We Thanks to LIFE we have recovered extinct species. In my country, need your input so we can together reflect on how to shape the LIFE Spain, the Iberian lynx had almost disappeared and because of LIFE programme for 2021-2027 to achieve the maximum impact and it has recovered. Thanks to LIFE, we have financed Natura 2000 added value. sites, projects on the circular economy, to tackle climate change and, in the future, we will support energy projects. LIFE is the only European programme exclusively devoted to en- vironmental protection and climate action. It will contribute to the There are two main novelties in the next LIFE programme: design of a sustainable future, and accompany the climate, ecolog- ical and energy transition. Here are some important facts about the • First, the LIFE tree has a new branch of action - the transition programme, which started in 1992. to clean energy. We have the privilege today to welcome into the LIFE community our colleagues who have been taking care First, according to the European Court of Auditors, LIFE is the best of activities relating to clean energy under Horizon 2020. While managed programme within the EU budget. An error rate of 0.2 Horizon concentrates on research and innovation, LIFE is about shows we are making good use of public funds. delivering projects on the ground - concrete solutions. We hope to bring new impetus into clean energy. Second, LIFE is the most popular programme in the EU budget. • Second, we will have an increased margin of manoeuvre, When you ask people about LIFE, in particular the young, they rec- with the possibility of increasing the programme’s focus on ognise it is delivering added value. some key activities and specific goals. We must think outside the box and decide on the future priorities. Third, in 2018 LIFE received a European Ombudsman Award for the best project in the EU. In the Małopolska region, a project used With this conference we hope to collect elements for consideration €10 million of LIFE funding to mobilise €700 million in parts of the in the multiannual work programme for 2021-2024 and, more gen- Czech Republic, Slovakia and Poland - some of the EU’s most pollut- erally, for the future design of the LIFE programme. ed areas - to improve heating systems, change to more sustainable ones and improve citizens’ quality of life. The Commission’s President-elect Ursula von der Leyen has put the Green Deal as her top priority, for the EU to become more sustaina- LIFE is a success story. One reason for this is that it has constant- ble, be more effective against climate change, have a zero-pollution ly evolved. There has never been a single programming period in strategy, preserve biodiversity and deliver the changes needed in which LIFE has remained the same. This is why we are here together our society. to identify the future direction and the next improvements. Never before in the history of the Commission has the President The European Council and the Parliament have reached a partial placed an environmental priority at the top of their mandate. We agreement on the future LIFE programme, but the budget still needs must see how the new LIFE programme can reflect and contribute to be finalised. The Commission is proposing an increase from €3.4 to this very important objective. billion to €5.2 billion over the next seven years. We know how dif- ficult these financial discussions are, but it is very important that This conference is an important first step in the process. For this, we we have a programme with the means to deliver on our ambitions. need your input and support - to continue the success story of LIFE In the news at the moment there is a report from scientists on the and adapt it to meet the challenges of the future. impact of climate change, showing the urgency of the situation, the degradation of biodiversity and the big challenges ahead. LIFE can- not solve all these issues, but it is an instrument to do better. 4 First moderated panel discussion The members of the panel were: Fredrick Federley, Member of the European Parliament; Mauro Petriccione, Director General DG Climate Action; Ditte Juul Jørgensen, Director General DG Energy; Daniel Calleja Crespo, Director General DG Environment. Federley highlighted some key issues Obtaining agreement from Member States The importance he believes should be addressed in fu- and the European Council on the EU budget of energy efficiency ture LIFE calls. “For example, the way we is a challenge, according to Mr Federley. build our houses: they have poor energy “They are afraid of what the Green Deal In the first panel discussion, the focus efficiency and constructing them gener- might mean for them and their econo- was on the role of LIFE for the next sev- ates enormous amounts of carbon diox- mies.” Achieving a just transition is another en years and the addition of energy to the ide. In addition, around 10-12% of global challenge but vital. “We can’t leave anyone programme. Fredrick Federley, MEP and emissions come from our clothes.
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