Green Infrastructure and RDPs Ágnes Zólyomi, CEEweb for Biodiversity RDP workshop, Budapest 12 June 2014 www.ceeweb.org The concept of Green Infrastructure •Green Infrastructure - “Green Infrastructure is a strategically planned network of natural and semi-natural areas with other environmental features designed and managed to deliver a wide range of ecosystem services (in terrestrial, aquatic, coastal, marine environments). In short, the structure enabling healthy ecosystems to deliver their multiple services to people. On land, GI is present in rural and urban settings and in protected (such as Natura 2000) and non-protected areas” European Commission, 2013. •Provides multiple benefits •Contribute to smart and sustainable growth www.ceeweb.org A taste of Green Infrastructure I. Chicago, US – •Green roof of city town hall – 3600 USD/9,727 kWh saving annually SIGMA II, Belgium– •Restoration of Scheldt estuary – 892 million EUR (2010-2100) benefits Glasgow, UK– •Park improvement for £15.5 million - 47% increase in Council Tax receipts, 28% increase in the number of employees www.ceeweb.org A taste of Green Infrastructure II. Harku County, Northern Estonia – Green network inclusion to spatial planning •Meadows connected, high nature value farmland maintained West Wales – •CAN – strategic investment to GI and restoration – job creation and new businesses www.ceeweb.org Rural areas and Green Infrastructure • Making space for ecosystems; strengthening the functionality of ecosystems for delivering goods and services, such as carbon sequestration, water retention, functional landscapes, habitats for wildlife • Mitigating and adapting to climate change effects • Health-related and social benefits • Cost-effective solutions (e.g. disaster protection, flood control) • Connecting protected and non-protected areas • Links with new ERDF and CAP in 2014-2020 policies (such as integration of GI into new rural development funds) www.ceeweb.org Funding of Green Infrastructure • Structural Funds (the European Regional Development Fund and European Social Fund) • Cohesion Fund • CAP Funding – RDP - HD Art. 10 programs, High Nature Value Farmland after reform: ecological focus areas, landscape structures • New LIFE (both climate and nature aspects) • Natural Capital Financial Facility – loan and equity funds for projects • Innovative financing mechanisms www.ceeweb.org Funding of Green Infrastructure – the Natural Capital Financing Facility • • • • Pilot phase of 3 to 4 years (2014-2017) with a total amount of EUR 100m for the financing of 9 to 12 projects. An additional grant support facility of EUR 10m for technical assistance. Target projects of a size of EUR 5-15m. The term of the debt and equity instruments up to 10 years plus potential extensions. www.ceeweb.org Important issues of GI and agriculture • • • • If GI is not mentioned in OP and RDP – difficulties to get financing Find hooks in RDP – landscape measures, HNV measures, greening measures – EC is to produce guidelines about CAP and GI GI can be a tool for mixed financing Agricultural data can serve for the basics for prioritization areas for GI (MAES – MSs are obliged to have a system to identify parcels and info on grasslands and croplands) www.ceeweb.org What’s next and our role? • • • • EC GI WG – we asked DG Agri to participate We can provide opinions to DG Envi on OPs and RDPs – THIS IS OUR CHANCE FOR FINANCING!!! CEEweb with ECNC makes an information platform and expert network on Green Infrastructure – FARMERS are one of the target groups! Identify legal hooks among processes to increase environmental uptake and underline our needs – WFD, Bidi Strategy (GI, MAES, restoration, Natura 2000, IAS), etc. www.ceeweb.org Resources •European Commission. DG Environment. Natural Capital Financial Capacity. http://ec.europa.eu/environment/biodiversity/business/assets /pdf/ncff.pdf •European Commission. DG Environment. Green Infrastructure http://ec.europa.eu/environment/nature/ecosystems/backgro und.htm •Enriching our society through natural solutions: Why and how to make Green Infrastructure projects a sustainable answer for ecological, social and economic problems?http://www.ceeweb.org/wpcontent/uploads/2011/12/enriching_society_through_natural _solutions_green_infrastructure.pdf •Green Infrastructure knowledge hubhttp://www.ceeweb.org/work-areas/priority-areas/greeninfrastructure/ www.ceeweb.org Thank you! Questions? Contact: Ágnes Zólyomi [email protected] +36-1-398-0135 www.ceeweb.org