A year to be proud of the many successes of LIFE projects

It’s been an exciting year for LIFE projects, with recognition in awards and the media, while a few also welcomed some high-profile visitors to see their work in action. 

The EU’s LIFE Programme itself celebrated 32 years of funding innovative actions across Europe to improve the environment and climate, and this year more than €380 million was granted to 133 new standard action projects and €233 million was awarded to 12 flagship strategic projects. And there was plenty in 2024 to demonstrate the impact that the Programme has. Here are some of our highlights of the year:

In the forests of Spain, one of the world’s rarest cats has been making a comeback. The Iberian lynx was officially reclassified on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species from Endangered to Vulnerable. Thanks to the work of multiple LIFE projects the past 20 years, the cats have been expanding into new regions in Spain and Portugal. The most recent, LIFE LynxConnect, has been working to increase the population, genetic diversity and spread of the Iberian Lynx.  Although the animals are still at risk, the news was described as ‘the greatest recovery of a cat species ever achieved through conservation’ by those involved in the project. 

Efforts to save another cat, this time the Scottish wildcat, also saw the birth of two kittens – the first to be born outside captivity in Scotland for more than five years. It follows the release of 19 wildcats in the Cairngorms as part of a LIFE funded restoration project SWAforLife. News of the kittens was covered by the Guardian newspaper in the UK. The Guardian also featured details about the LIFE PINNARCA project that is trying to rescue the noble pen shells – a species of giant Mediterranean clam – from extinction.  

Conservation and restoration efforts elsewhere in Europe were also rewarded for their work. The LIFE MIRES ESTONIA restored nearly 6 000 ha of wetlands protected under EU Habitats Directive, and was among three other LIFE projects to win awards at the prestigious European Natura 2000 Awards. Meanwhile a project piloting the production of an insect protein-based animal feed using biowaste (LIFE Waste2Protein) and another fighting environmental crime (Life+ Nature Guardians) were among those selected as winners in the 2024 LIFE Awards. The other winners included a project aiming to restore the river Isar and its floodplains in Germany (LIFE Flusserlebnis Isar), and a special category recognising the vital role of clean water in the lives of people in Europe was awarded to Freshabitat LIFE IP, a project that has been restoring freshwater habitats in Finland.

A way of retrofitting inefficient homes to reduce their energy use and make them warmer places to live was also an award-winning idea this year. The Energiesprong  approach uses pre-fabricated insulated wall and roof panels, alongside heat pumps and solar panels, to quickly retrofit existing buildings. So far, over 10 000 homes have been retrofitted across Europe and North America using the Eneriesprong approach, which was awarded the prestigious Gold World Habitat Award this year. Several LIFE projects, including LIFE Giga Regio Factory, LIFE EP-0 and LIFE COSME RENO apply the approach into their work to address energy efficiency and energy poverty in Europe.

King Willem-Alexander of the Netherlands got to learn about how hydrogen-powered vehicles could help to revolutionise heavy transport when he visited a facility for producing green hydrogen in Utrecht, Netherlands. While there, he officially inaugurated a new electrolyser for green hydrogen production, which forms part of the LIFE NEW HYTS project to rollout hydrogen-powered trucks and other large vehicles.

But the King wasn’t the only prominent figure to see LIFE-funded projects in action. Pedro Sánchez, the Prime Minister of Spain, visited the Impulso Verde building in Galicia, Spain – the first public building in the region to be built entirely from local wood. The building was constructed as part of the LIFE Lugo + Biodinámico project, which has been developing a new sustainable urban development strategy through the use of local timber.

The Prime Minister of Belgium, Alexander De Croo, also visited the animal feed company Trotec in Veurne, Belgium, to learn about their LIFE F3 project that aims to turn food waste into a high-quality animal feed.

Recycling another form of waste – water flushed down the drain at hotels – attracted the attention of Euronews, the pan-European television news network. They spoke to the manager of a campsite in the south of France that was involved in the LIFE WAT’SAVEREUSE project that has been finding ways of reusing wastewater to reduce the impact that tourism has on strained water supplies. The broadcaster also featured the LIFE SPARC project’s contribution to another water-related problem – flooding. In the aftermath of devastating early winter floods in many parts of Europe, the report looked at how the project is using mud-flats and marshes to help slow down water in the Scheldt River in the Belgian region of Flanders and prevent flooding.

LIFE projects also participated in some key events during the year. In April
the LIFE-IP Cmartlife, LIFE Waste to Resources IP, and LIFE PlasPLUS shared details of their work at the World Circular Economy Forum 2024 in Brussels, Belgium. At the New European Bauhaus Festival in Brussels, 3 LIFE projects – LIFE BauhausingEurope, LIFE Be-WoodEN and More LIFE 2 Level(s) – took part in satellite events. LIFE also organised two sessions on Green Assist and a Workshop showcasing LIFE Programme close to market projects at the Pollutec 2024 event in Paris, France in November. LIFE projects finally participated in ECEEE Conference, World Sustainable Energy Days, and Sustainable Places.

The many achievements and contributions by LIFE projects in 2024 go beyond this list and it isn’t possible to include them all here, but the LIFE Programme looks forward to many more in 2025. Among the moments to look out for will be the results of the 2024 LIFE Calls for proposals and a wide range of exciting events that will be taking place.