Investing in climate action – investing in LIFE : An overview of the new LIFE climate action sub-programme 2014-2020

The European Heads of State and Government decided in February 2013 to commit at least 20% of the EU budget for the next Multiannual Financial Framework (i.e. 2014-2020) to climate-related action. This objective will reinforce the EU’s efforts to address the climate change challenge. Climate change mitigation and adaptation actions will now be integrated into all main spending areas and European programmes. In addition to this “mainstreaming” of climate action in all EU instruments and building on the experiences of the LIFE programme, the new LIFE Regulation 2014-2020 was published in December 2013 with an increased budget of 3.46 billion Euro. The main objectives of the LIFE Climate Action sub-programme are to: Contribute to the shift towards a low-carbon and climate-resilient economy; Improve the development, implementation and enforcement of EU climate change policy and legislation; Support better environmental and climate change governance at all levels