14.04.2023.
Today, the Environmental Protection and Energy Efficiency Fund launched four new public calls for projects related to climate change and environmental protection. The allocated amount totals EUR 14.8 for the projects to be implemented by local units, utility companies, and public institutions.“Climate change is the greatest challenge we’re facing today, and which the Funds is trying to help deal with through its calls. The programmes we’re initiating today are promoting good planning of climate change adaptation, as well as activities that should slow down and reduce our carbon footprint. It is important to act synergistically, and that is the reason why the Fund supports many projects – from infrastructure planning to education of citizens, so we can be certain that positive results will come,” said the director of the Fund, Luka Balen, upon the start of this year’s calls.
The highest amount of EUR 10 million has been earmarked for the separate waste collection measures. Eligible applicants for the call for the purchase of municipal equipment are units of local self-government, and the available funding for the planned equipment and machinery is up to 150.000 EUR. The rates of co-financing depend on the area and range from 40, 60 up to 80%.
In order for the infrastructure to be used properly and to achieve the desired carbon footprint reduction, education campaigns and raising awareness of citizens are vital. That is the reason why not only equipment and machinery are co-financed, but one million euro has been allocated to the local units for co-financing waste management education and information activities. Whether it is the preparation of the new info-educational video and audio clips, printed material or organising theme workshops, adapting the exiting materials or similar activities, interested beneficiaries can be granted up to EUR 15.000 of co-financing for these activities. The final goal of the education and information activities is to motivate citizens to reduce disposed waste quantities and to separate it properly before disposal. Apart from the activities focusing on the citizens, co-financing is also provided for activities including municipal wardens who should ensure sound support to a faster achievement of the set waste management goals at local and national level.
The same rates of co-financing are available to local units for drafting the Climate change mitigation and adaptation and ozone layer protection programmes or base documents for drafting sustainable development and climate change adaptation action plans (SECAP), and/or reports on their implementation. These are key documents for local and regional level that evaluate and identify the priority climate change mitigation measures. The Fund has allocated the total of EUR 300.000 for the drafting of these documents. They not only assess the vulnerability of certain areas to climate change, but also allow the local communities to plan the implementation of priority measures, meaning that concrete projects can be applied for co-financing under different EU and national calls, such as the Fund’s call for promoting green infrastructure development. Local units can submit no more than one application and be granted up to EUR 15.000.
As much as 80% of co-financing, or up to a maximum of EUR 300.000, is available to public institutions for projects that contribute to reducing the environmental footprint and increasing the resilience to climate change in protected areas and the Natura 2000 ecological network areas. The Fund has budgeted EUR 3.5 million for the projects which contribute to the visitor infrastructure sustainability. To become eligible for co-financing, the applicants have to explain in detail how the subject-matter of co-financing will support resilience, and the envisaged financial savings while maintaining or reducing the ecological footprint.
These are the Fund’s first calls in 2023 that will be open until the end of the year, or until the funding is used up. Interested beneficiaries will be able to monitor not only individual calls, but also the available budget for the call on the Fund’s website, allowing them to plan their activities on time.
Apart from the resources earmarked for the local units, the Environmental Protection and Energy Efficiency Fund is planning more programmes in 2023 that will be open both for legal and natural persons. All of these programmes have a common goal, which is to accelerate the green transition that has started, and to achieve the national targets in terms of climate change adaptation and environmental protection.
