Spain to implement the largest project in the history of Europe's LIFE funds

The Third Vice-President of the Government of Spain and Minister for Ecological Transition and Demographic Challenge, Sara Aagesen, at the presentation of the LIFE Wetlands project

Spain is launching the largest LIFE project in history, the European Union's main funding instrument dedicated exclusively to environmental protection and climate action, which has financed more than 6,000 projects since its inception in 1992.

To mark World Wetlands Day, the Third Vice-President of the Government of Spain and Minister for Ecological Transition and Demographic Challenge, Sara Aagesen, presented the LIFE Wetlands project in Irún (Guipúzcoa). The event included a visit to the Plaiaundi wetland, which will be restored by the Ministry for Ecological Transition and Demographic Challenge as part of this initiative.

"Protecting wetlands is not just about ecology, it is about water security, resilience, public health, green economy. It is intergenerational justice. We believe in a country that grows by caring for what belongs to everyone, that generates prosperity by improving the environment, and that leads together", Aagesen stated during her remarks at the project presentation.

Previously, the Vice-president had the opportunity to see first-hand the actions already carried out by the Ministry for Ecological Transition in this area, such as the Artia canal naturalisation project, in the section between the GI-636 road and the Bidasoa estuary in Irún. This project, which involved an investment of €3.7 million, is in its final phase. The intervention has restored the ecological function of the waterway, increased its natural appearance, and improved the integration of the area within the Natura 2000 network, reconciling environmental restoration with public use.

A transformative project

Thanks to LIFE Wetlands, over the next 10 years more than 26,100 hectares will be restored, exceeding the target set in the PEH2030 by 30%. In total, 284 actions will be implemented in wetlands located in 107 Natura 2000 sites across all 17 autonomous communities.

Collaboration in this project will be fundamental, as demonstrated by the 24 participating partners: 12 autonomous communities: Andalusia, Aragon, Principality of Asturias, Cantabria, Catalonia, Castile-La Mancha, Castile and Leon, Galicia, Community of Madrid, Region of Murcia, La Rioja and Valencia; as well as with the provincial councils of Alava and Guipuzcoa. Four companies and public foundations are also partners: Fundación Patrimonio Natural de Castilla y León, TRAGSA, SARGA and Orekan, and four environmental NGOs: Fundación Naturaleza y Hombre, Fundación Global Nature, SEO/BirdLife and WWF-España and four units of the Ministry for Ecological Transition and Demographic Challenge (Directorate General for Biodiversity, Forests and Desertification; Directorate General for the Coast and the Sea; Spanish Office for Climate Change, and Fundación Biodiversidad, which coordinates the project).

The LIFE Wetlands project, 'Promoting knowledge, management, and restoration of Natura 2000 wetlands in Spain', will have a special focus on the recovery of wetland ecosystems and the conservation status of priority habitats and species.

Until 2036, actions will be undertaken to increase knowledge and information about wetlands, improve their management and planning, and integrate sectoral policies such as agriculture and tourism to contribute to the good conservation status of these ecosystems. The governance system among the various stakeholders will also be strengthened, and awareness will be raised across all sectors of society regarding the benefits they provide and the importance of their conservation.

The application of nature-based solutions will contribute to the restoration of 43 habitat types and 41 species of community interest in wetlands of different types, such as high-mountain lakes, inland wetlands, coastal lagoons, and marshes, among many others. To this end, measures will be implemented that address the hydromorphological and ecological restoration of wetlands, the improvement of vegetation fringes, waste removal, the control of invasive alien species, and the installation of nest boxes, among others.

Furthermore, the project's approach, methodologies, and solutions will be transferred to other regions of the national territory and the continent to contribute to the conservation and improvement of wetland ecosystems and their biodiversity.

Funding integration

To develop this extensive programme of actions, the LIFE Wetlands project has an initial budget of €160.5 million. Of this, €96 million is provided by the Ministry for Ecological Transition, €34.5 million by the project partners, and €30 million by the European Commission. In addition, up to €111 million in complementary funds are expected to be mobilised during the project's implementation period, of which €26 million has already been committed. This will bring the total budget to over €271 million.

It falls under a type of LIFE Programme project known as strategic integrated projects. Through these projects, the European Union seeks to facilitate the implementation of European environmental and climate legislation by Member States. To implement these projects funds are allocated for plans, programmes, and strategies developed at the regional or national level.

Thus, the project will complement LIFE Programme funding with other sources, such as the EAFRD, ERDF, and ESF+ structural funds, as well as the General State Budget and private contributions, among others.

Wetlands, the planet's kidneys

On the occasion of World Wetlands Day, the international community is highlighting the value of these ecosystems, which are fundamental for the conservation of biodiversity and our well-being. They fulfil multiple and important functions. They supply water and food, help mitigate the effects of climate change, contribute to lessening droughts and controlling floods. In addition, they help filter water, protect coastlines, improve air quality, and provide raw materials, genetic resources for medicines, and hydroelectric power.

Despite their importance, they are disappearing at an accelerated rate due to causes such as the overexploitation of aquifers and rivers, pollution, climate change, and the proliferation of invasive species. The world has lost more than a third of the world's wetlands in just 50 years.

Degraded wetlands offer less protection against extreme weather events, primarily floods, and have a reduced capacity to act as green filters and retain greenhouse gases, thus contributing to a greater acceleration of global warming.

Spain's wetlands

Spain is renowned for harbouring the greatest diversity of wetland ecosystems within the European Union, including unique ecosystems such as marshes, crypto-wetlands, and hyperalkaline lakes. It has over 2,000 wetlands, 92% of which are inland, with freshwater wetlands being the most numerous (46%).

Their location between two continents and their geological, geographical, and climatic variability accentuate the biodiversity of Spanish wetlands. Occupying a key position on the migratory routes of many waterbird species, they are notable for their high concentration of rare, endemic, and/or threatened animal and plant species, as well as their high concentrations of wildlife, which include up to 40% of the waterbirds that winter in the western Mediterranean.

Spain is also the country with the third largest number of wetlands included on the Ramsar International List, with 76 sites covering more than 300,000 hectares.

However, over the last 200 years, between 60% and 75% of the country's wetlands have disappeared, and half of the remaining wetlands are considered to be altered or severely altered. This situation is exacerbated by a lack of knowledge in some areas and the need to improve the compatibility of productive activities with the conservation of these ecosystems.

Government commitment

In recent years, the Government has been working to reverse the vulnerable situation of the country's wetlands. More than €1.5 billion has been mobilised for just three large wetlands-Mar Menor, Doñana, and Albufera. The actions led by the Ministry for Ecological Transition are based on extensive processes of participation, scientific knowledge, and social innovation. In fact, the work carried out in one of these wetlands, the Mar Menor, has been recognised by the UN as a World Flagship Initiative for Ecosystem Restoration due to its social innovation.

Non official translation