Interreg Europe: funding line to make Europe greener and more collaborative
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Are you looking for new funding opportunities? Interreg Europe aims at boosting capacity building for better policy, for the community and the environment.
Interreg is one of the key instruments of the European Union. It includes several programmes, with the ultimate goal to facilitate cross-border, transnational, and interregional cooperation. The projects funded by Interreg are a great source of support for Protected Areas and nature conservation across the EU.
Interreg Europe
Among the various Interreg programmes, Interreg Europe aims to support regional and local governments across Europe to build better policy, through creating a line for sharing solutions and policy learning.
Interreg Europe is the only EU programme that covers the 27 EU countries, plus Norway and Switzerland. It aims to improve regional development policies, including investments for growth and job programmes, by identifying and transferring good practices among more and less-developed regions. It is intended primarily for public authorities, with a focus on capacity building and exchange of experiences.
Check out the short video to learn more:
What’s new about Interreg Europe?
The Interreg Europe plan for the new programming period is still under approval process, where the Member States play a crucial role, but the European Commission is already sharing some important news for future projects:
– There will be 6 new main topics, with a concentration principle: 80% will be devoted to smart, green or social topics. The other 3 are: connected, citizens and governance.
– As the aim of the programme is policy improvement, the partner organisations should be public entities directly responsible for the policy. When not possible as partners, they have to be included in the project anyway, as a sort of “golden stakeholders”, even if not financially committed to the project.
– European geographical coverage will be required, the partnership will have to involve 3, or better 4, of the 4 European geographical regions.
South: Croatia, Cyprus, Greece, Italy, Malta, Portugal, Spain.
West: Belgium, France, Ireland, Luxemburg, Netherlands, Switzerland.
– Projects will have two phases: a core phase of 3 years, and a follow-up of one year. The second phase will be devoted to evaluating the impacts. Only if it was not possible to reach your results after 3 years, a new action plan will be required for the remaining year.
– Focus on structural funds: at least one policy instrument must be an Investment for Jobs and Growth programme.
– Innovative approaches will be welcome and pilot actions will be possible from the start of the project and at midterm.
– Co-financing rates will be similar to the previous edition.
– The programme will foresee simplified cost options: preparation costs will be a lump sum; office, administration and travel will have a flat rate; and staff will have a fixed percentage.
EUROPARC is actively working to improve coexistence between people and large carnivores in and around Protected Areas. This workshop, which is being organized in partnership with the EU Platform on Coexistence between People and Large Carnivores, aims to better identify the needs and challenges Protected Areas and managing authorities are facing to implement processes and measures for coexistence.
For this, a specific participatory session will take place during the meeting, giving you the chance to share concrete needs, challenges, perspectives and to propose solutions.
The workshop will also be an opportunity to provide an update on progress made at the EU level for the conservation of large carnivores, looking at policy developments, European platforms and project implementation, with an insight on new targets for the future and the role of Protected Areas.
During the workshop we will also present and share some concrete case studies, looking at the role and experiences of Protected Areas in leading and promoting processes and measures for coexistence in their areas. We will focus our attention on effective communication, participatory process, partnership building and damage prevention measures.
Programme
Welcome and introduction
By Federico Minozzi – EUROPARC Federation.
European policy updates and initiatives to strengthen coexistence
By Marco Cipriani – European Commission.
By Katrina Marsden – EU Platform on Coexistence between People and Large Carnivores.
Working towards coexistence: the role and needs of Protected Areas
Participatory exercise in groups.
Break
Case studies
Support coexistence through partnerships. By Valeria Salvatori, Istituto di Ecologia Applicata, Italy.
Simone Angelucci & Antonio Antonucci, Majella National Park, Italy.
Human and Iberian Lynx conflict: the challenge of a peaceful coexistence. By Guillermo Zamora – Junta de Andalucia, Spain.
Join us online on the 26th of November at 09:30h CET.
EUROPARC events are supported by the European Union, in the framework of the European Commission’s LIFE + funding programme of operating grants for European Environmental NGOs. The content of this website does not reflect the official opinion of the European Union. Responsibility for the information and views expressed lies entirely with the EUROPARC Federation.
EUROPARC is committed to providing a place and opportunities for young people within our organisation. That is why we are now launching a call for a Youth Representative to join the EUROPARC Council.
Are you:
Between 18 and 30 years old?
Active in a Protected Area that is a member of the EUROPARC Federation?
Supporting youth engagement in Protected Areas?
Fluent in English?
Or have you attended EUROPARC international events and initiatives for Youth and Junior Rangers? Then we are looking for you!
To honour the commitments made in the EUROPARC Youth Manifesto, but also to adhere to the new EUROPARC Strategy to 2030, we are now seeking ways to better integrate the views of youth in the governance of our organisation and inspire Protected Areas to do the same. The EUROPARC Council has therefore agreed in October 2021 to assign one of the coopted seats available in the council, to a suitable Youth candidate.
Role and Functions
As Youth Representative you will have the same rights, duties and responsibilities – other than voting – as the rest of the Council. Your task will be to bring specific insights to the Council on youth related matters relevant for the work of Protected Areas and provide constructive advice on Council work and Federation strategy and priorities. You will also be able to represent the work of EUROPARC, where appropriate, in exchanging with youth organisations and networks all over Europe. The function will be a chance to connect and communicate with young people from across Europe’s Protected Areas.
Does this sound like something you can do? Or do you know someone who would be the perfect fit? Then apply now!
Send the signed application form, together with your CV to Esther Bossink (esther.bossink@europarc.org) until the Friday 17th of December13:00 PM CET .
If you have any questions, do not hesitate to reach out to Esther Bossink. We look forward to seeing all your applications!
From 31.10. to 12.11.2021 50,000 participants, both online and in person, including world leaders from almost 200 countries, politicians, activists, scientists, activists, journalists and representatives of NGOs and businesses gathered to negotiate and discuss global climate action for the short and long term future.
Main outcomes of COP26
The event was not strictly a political one, as many were there to share ideas, solutions, attend cultural events and build partnerships and coalitions. It hosted many empowering announcements, speeches and long negotiations, culminating with the countries agreeing on the Glasgow Climate Pact centred on adaptation, conservation, climate finance and mitigation. Parties concurred to boost their carbon-cutting commitments, phase down fossil fuels and increase aid to loss and damage caused by climate change.
The Paris Agreement rulebook was also finalized, setting out transparency and monitoring plans to keep on track with the 1.5 degrees target.
Glasgow Climate Pact
This final deal was signed by leaders of almost 200 countries. The agreement calls for an accelerated effort “towards the phase-down of unabated coal power and inefficient fossil fuel subsidies”.
We all know that European wealth was built on coal. And if we don’t get rid of coal, European death will also be built on coal
said Frans Timmermans, vice president of the European Commission, who is leading on big portions of the “green agenda” of the EU. The phasing out of coal and fossil fuels is of course a much needed development if we want to halt global warming. However, it is especially positive to note that the pact explicitly emphasises the importance of “protecting, conserving and restoring nature”.
A hopeful message for nature conservationists worldwide, and a step forward in the long process of walking the talk. However, as the EU Commission President Ursula van der Leyen underlines:
…there will be no time to relax: there is still hard work ahead.
Sustainable Forest Management and Conservation
The special attention on nature when combating and adapting to climate change also resulted in something more tangible: 134 countries signed the Glasgow Leaders’ Declaration on Forest and Land Use, which includes the pledge to protect world forests and stop and reverse deforestation by 2030. This aims to tackle the many issues forests and land face globally because of exploitation, biodiversity loss, and climate change, strengthen collaboration to provide resources and knowledge to rump up protection, conservation, and sustainable management.
Forests are the green lungs of the earth. We need to protect and restore them. I gladly announce that we are pledging €1 billion to protect world forests. This is a clear sign of the EU’s commitment to lead global change to protect our planet, in line with our EU Green Deal.
Stated EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen. The EU will work towards actively collaborating to conserve, restore and ensure the sustainable management of forests.
Catriona Manders shows her signature on the front page of the Joint Statement at COP26
Protected Areas Joint Statement
EUROPARC truly believes that nature is the key solution to combating Biodiversity loss and Climate Change. We must start from nature to protect, conserve, and restore our planet, for us and for future generations. EUROPARC therefore urges world’s leaders to act and include nature-based solutions in their climate adaptation plans. Additionally, it is of vital importance to hear and give attention and space to young people, who are the ones who’ll pay the price of today’s actions. In Protected and Rural Areas, the EUROPARC Youth Manifesto is a great place to start.
As such, during the Youth and Public Empowerment Day at COP26, EUROPARC and other leading organisations in charge of some of the largest tracts of Protected Landscapes and Marine Environments across the world have come together for the first time to sign a joint statement. It calls alling on world leaders to support their work at the vanguard of the fight against Climate Change and Biodiversity Loss. The most prominent signature was reserved for Catriona Menders, Junior Ranger and Youth Committee member at Loch Lomond and the Trossachs National Park.
