Circular Economy and Zero Pollution

Objective

To facilitate the transition toward a sustainable, circular, energy-efficient and climate-resilient economy, a toxic-free environment, and toward protecting, restoring and improving the quality of the environment in line with the European Green Deal and recent policy developments.

Sub-topics that can be funded

Proposals must address one or two of the following sub-topics (maximum two):

1. Circular Economy and Waste
   • 1.1 Recovery of Resources from Waste
   • 1.2 Circular Economy and the Environment
2. Zero pollution and sustainable management of natural resources
   • 2.1 Air
   • 2.2 Water
   • 2.3 Soil
   • 2.4 Noise
   • 2.5 Chemicals
   • 2.6 Industrial Emissions and Safety
   • 2.7 A new European Bauhaus

The call rule: "a maximum of two sub-topics shall be selected … and only those will be considered in the evaluation" (Call document LIFE-2026-SAP-ENV, Section 2, p. 13).

What this means for cities and regions

Where LIFE Climate Action funds emissions and adaptation, this strand funds the wider environmental agenda — circular economy, air quality, water, soil, noise, urban-environment policy and the New European Bauhaus. Cities and regions can apply directly for projects on municipal waste circularity, urban air-quality plans, soil regeneration in brownfield contexts, noise-action plans, and built-environment regeneration under NEB. Indicative per-project budgets are €2–10 million covering up to 60% of eligible costs; the 2026 call funds around 31 projects, with €4 million ring-fenced for the New European Bauhaus sub-topic.