The European Commission has approved €282.6million funding for 225 new projects under the LIFE+ programme, the European Union's environment fund.

The projects selected were submitted by beneficiaries in all 28 Member States and cover actions in the fields of nature conservation, climate change, environmental policy and information and communication on environmental issues across the EU. Overall, they represent a total investment of some €589.3 million, of which the EU will provide €282.6 million.

The United Kingdom will receive a total of €49.7 million for 11 projects, including two anaerobic digestion schemes by Shanks Group plc and Croda Europe Ltd.

WaterLIFE WWF-UK will also receive funding for the WaterLIFE project -the long-term goal which it will contributeto is active engagement by both civil society and the private sector in the delivery of the Water Framework Directive across the EU by 2021. The project is designed to support governments in the development of second-cycle River Basin Management Plans, demonstrating that there are civil society and private sector-led mechanisms that can work if supported by an adequate policy framework.

Natural England will also receive funding for a project is to undertake conservation actions to establish a stable water table within +/- 20cm of ground level across the 3,273 ha of the three Natura 2000 network sites (Thorne Moors, Hatfield Moors, and Thorne and Hatfield Moors) in the Humberhead Peatlands National Nature Reserve.

The Commission received a total of 1,468 applications in response to its latest call for proposals.

Environment Commissioner Janez Potočnik said:

“In the final year of the current programming period, the LIFE+ programme once again demonstrates its ability to deliver essential financial support for environmental and nature conservation projects with significant added value for the EU. These latest projects will make a vital contribution to the preservation, conservation and enhancement of Europe’s natural capital, as well as helping to achieve sustainable growth through investment in a low carbon and resource efficient economy. The widely acknowledged success of LIFE+ and its projects has ensured the recent adoption of a new LIFE Regulation for Environment and Climate Action, with an increased budget, for the period 2014-2020”

LIFE+ is the European financial instrument for the environment and has a total budget of €2.1 billion for the period 2007-2013. The LIFE programme will continue from 2014-2020 under the new LIFE Regulation for Environment and Climate Action. The programme has a total budget for the period of €3.4 billion in December 2013 prices, and will have a sub-programme for environment and a sub-programme for climate action.

Click here for details of funded projects on an EU country-by-country basis.