The EU LIFE programme, Europe’s key funding instrument for nature conservation, has since the start in 1992 focused its support to nature and biodiversity. It is therefore a good moment to take stock of its achievements and assess to what extent it has contributed to implementing the EU Birds and EU Habitats Directives (the ‘Nature Directives’) and its associated Natura 2000 network, and the EU Biodiversity Strategies. The outcome of the study, carried out in 2019-2020, is presented here for species and habitat groups, other biodiversity aspects, as well as a number of processes supporting
nature conservation in Europe and the Natura 2000 network. We have derived a number of key messages as well as formulated recommendations for the future of LIFE, to ensure its unique role in conserving and restoring Europe’s most precious habitats and species is maintained and strengthened well into the future.
