The Central Finance and Contracting Agency (CFLA) has received 23 projects in the European Union (EU) fund project selection round for local authorities, their institutions and capital companies on local authority adaptation to climate change. They request European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) support amounting to 33.9 million euros.
In the open project selection round, in which the acceptance of applications closed on 26 November, the most active were the local authorities of the Vidzeme planning region, with seven project applications submitted. Six project applications were received from local authorities in the Riga planning region, while four project applications came from each of the Kurzeme and Zemgale planning regions. In the Latgale planning region, two local authorities wish to implement projects.
The project applications mainly provide for the renovation of existing drainage systems and rainwater collection systems and for adapting the environment to climate change, as well as for sustainable "green" and "blue" infrastructure solutions, including nature-based ones, that support adaptation to climate change. Cooperation partners have been brought in to implement two of the projects.
The total funding available in the first selection round of the EU fund programme is 34,762,296 euros, including 29,547,951 euros of ERDF funding. The ERDF funding requested in the projects is 33,892,306 euros, exceeding the funding available for the first selection round of the measure by more than four million euros.
Breakdown of the requested ERDF funding by planning region:
- Riga 11.67 million euros;
- Vidzeme 10.97 million euros;
- Zemgale 4.83 million euros;
- Latgale 3.63 million euros;
- Kurzeme 2.80 million euros.
The projects have until 31 December 2027 to be implemented. Information on the approved applications will be published on the CFLA website once they have been assessed.
The EU programme, developed by the Ministry of Smart Administration and Regional Development (VARAM), has been set up to support the construction and renovation of infrastructure aimed at helping local authorities adapt to climate change and at reducing the risk of disasters caused by climate change.
All Latvian local authorities were eligible to apply for the EU fund support, which will cover up to 85% of a project's eligible costs.
The EU fund programme will support projects that are set out in local authority development programmes and included in their investment plans, that are implemented within local authority territories and that are aimed at adaptation to climate change.
The EU fund support is provided under measure 2.1.3.1. "Local authority adaptation to climate change" of specific support objective 2.1.3 "Promoting climate change adaptation, risk prevention and disaster resilience" of the EU cohesion policy programme for 2021–2027 developed by VARAM.
Information on all project selection rounds is available in the “Programmes” section of the CFLA website.