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
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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
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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
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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)
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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
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Funding of Green Infrastructure – the
Natural Capital Financing Facility
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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.
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Important issues of GI and
agriculture
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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)
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What’s next and our role?
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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
Zolyomi@ceeweb.org
+36-1-398-0135
www.ceeweb.org