Funding programme

LIFE is the EU’s funding programme dedicated to the environment and climate action.

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Call overview

This call aims to provide local and regional authorities with the necessary capacity, skills and organisational structures to deliver and implement plans and strategies for the clean energy transition.

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Call detail

Local and regional authorities (LRAs) are a decisive lever for achieving the EU Green Deal objectives, such as the 2030 climate and energy targets as set out in the European Climate Law and the relevant ‘Fit for 55’ legislative revisions, in particular the recast of the Energy Efficiency(EE) and the Renewable Energy(RES) Directives, as well as the climate neutrality objective by 2050. In this context, many municipalities and other public bodies have already committed to such ambitious targets, for instance through the Covenant of Mayors for Climate and Energy initiative. LRAs also have a very relevant role to play in phasing out EU dependence on fossil fuel imports, within the framework of the REPowerEU Plan, and are well-placed to accelerate the implementation of respective/specific initiatives such as the preparation and implementation of National Energy and Climate Plans (NECPs) and their updates; the Renovation Wave and mobilisation of investment in clean energy; the Just Transition Mechanism; the preparation of local Heating and Cooling Plans in municipalities; the speed-up of RES permitting processes and the implementation of the EU solar strategy, among others.

In view of this, LRAs need to commit to and effectively plan and implement the clean energy transition in their territories at an unprecedented level of ambition and pace, tailored to the specific geographical, societal or political context. Local and regional planning should focus on measures in the short, medium and longer term that accelerate the clean energy transition in a just manner, ensuring full alignment with relevant EU and national energy and climate legislation, and contributing to the goals that are set in the specific National Energy and Climate Plans.

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Activities funded

Proposals should address one or both of the following areas/aspects:

• Actions should provide technical support to LRAs and build their capacities to deliver ambitious short and medium-term CET plans and strategies for 2030 –with a potential to pave the way for the 2050 carbon neutrality goal - in coherence with the EU energy and climate targets, the Fit-for-55 package, the REPowerEU legislative framework and the National Energy and Climate Plans. Actions should focus on implementing the right mix of activities that will build/increase lasting technical, legal, financial, administrative and social skills among LRAs; for instance, through training programmes for policy-makers and public officers which could be tailored to their specific needs; through the application of innovative solutions for the implementation of integrated CET planning at local and district level, through replication and rollout of best practices and information tools, etc.
• Actions should aim at creating/reinforcing appropriate organisational structures to support and coordinate the implementation and monitoring of integrated CET plans and strategies within and beyond the administrations. This should include, for instance, the creation of multidisciplinary and cross-sectoral teams within the LRAs, and/or strengthening the capacity and mandate of associated technical entities such as local and regional energy agencies. Actions should focus on integrated planning processes and strive to include important enabling elements for their implementation, such as: clear political commitment, identification of appropriate resources and financing

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Eligibility

In order to be eligible, the applicants (beneficiaries and affiliated entities) must be legal entities (public or private bodies) and be established in one of the eligible countries, i.e.:

• EU Member States (including overseas countries and territories (OCTs))
• non-EU countries:− listed EEA countries and countries associated to the LIFE Programme (associated countries) or countries which are in ongoing negotiations for an association agreement and where the agreement enters into force before grant signature.

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Consortium composition

Proposals must be submitted by at least 3 applicants (beneficiaries; not affiliated entities) from 3 different eligible countries.

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Budget

The Commission considers that proposals requesting a contribution from the EU of up to EUR 1.75 million would allow the specific objectives to be addressed appropriately. Nonetheless, this does not preclude submission and selection of proposals requesting other amounts.

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