The European Commission (EC) has approved €250 million of funding for 210 new projects under the third call for the LIFE+ programme the European fund for the environment which runs until 2013.
The projects are from across the EU and cover nature conservation, environmental policy and communication initiatives.
LIFE+ environment policy and governance projects are pilot projects that contribute to the development of innovative policy ideas, technologies, methods and instruments. The Commission chose four UK projects in this category which share €12.4 million funding.
SSCM4ECAP (Buckinghamshire County Council)
The project will develop an innovative bottom-up approach to green public procurement. It will demonstrate the use of supply-chain strategies to improve the environmental performance of local SMEs and achieve local authority sustainability targets.
EDOC (The Environment Agency of England and Wales)
The Electronic Duty of Care project intends to develop a national, Internet-based interface to record the collection, transportation, treatment and disposal of waste materials. This aims to enable the monitoring and mapping of waste management without creating a mountainous paper trail.
iGREEN (The Environment Agency of England and Wales)
The iGreen project will demonstrate how environmental guidance for SMEs can be taken to the next level by developing joined-up service provision through the NetRegs website. It will deliver innovative solutions around intelligence gathering, product creation, and dissemination of environmental information and messages through multimedia and multiple channels. Tools will include a legislation generator for Environmental Management Systems and environmental e-Learning tools for six different industries.
Hydro4Life (International Hydropower Association)
The main aim of this project is to demonstrate the effectiveness of the new Hydropower Sustainability Assessment Protocol and consolidate knowledge on hydropower sustainability performance in the EU. The project also aims to raise awareness and build capacity – primarily via an electronic outreach campaign – about the HSAP and hydropower sustainability performance among all relevant stakeholders, including Member State/EU regulators and policymakers.
LIFE+ nature projects improve the conservation status of endangered species and habitats. The commission granted €2.2 million funding to one UK project in this category: reintroducing the great bustard Otis tarda to southern England.
This project aims to increase the population of great bustards on Salisbury Plain by extending the reintroduction programme to support the establishment of a self-sustaining population over the longer term.
LIFE+ information and communication projects disseminate information and raise the profile of environmental issues, and provide training and awareness-raising for the prevention of forest fires. The Commission granted €1.8 million funding to one UK project, Restore, run by the Environment Agency for England & Wales.
The project will develop a network linking policymakers, river-basin planners, practitioners and experts across Europe to share information and good practice on river restoration activities. A database of river restoration projects will be created, providing understanding of policy opportunities and constraints, the effectiveness of restoration methods, design issues and project costs/benefits.
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