The LIFE programme is divided into two strands: one for the environment and another for climate action.

The climate action strand also has two sub-programmes:

Climate change mitigation and adaptation
Clean energy transition

Projects are financed under these categories:

- Standard Action Projects (SAPs), traditional LIFE projects focused on best practices, demonstration, capacity building, deployment, mobilizing investment, and implementation of relevant EU policy.

- Strategic Projects (SP)

Strategic Nature Projects (SNAPs) - support the achievement of Union nature and biodiversity objectives by implementing coherent programmes of action in the member states in order to mainstream these objectives and priorities into other policies and financing instruments.
Strategic Integrated Projects (SIPs) - these projects support the implementation on a regional, multi-regional, national or transnational scale, of environmental or climate strategies or action plans developed by member states' authorities and required by specific environmental, climate or relevant energy Union legislation or policy of the Union.

- Technical Assistance projects

provide action grants and financial support to help applicants prepare SNAPs and SIPs (TA-PP)
preparation for facilitating the up-scaling and replication of results from other projects funded by the LIFE Programme (TA-R)
capacity building of Member States authorities with low effective participation to the LIFE programme with a view to improving the National Contact Points services across the EU and to increasing the overall quality of proposals submitted (TA-CAP)

- Other Actions (OAs)

Coordination and Support Actions (CSA) for the transition to renewable energy and increased energy efficiency.
A Small Grant Facility on Biodiversity (BEST);
Projects developed in cooperation with the Knowledge and Innovation Communities (KIC) of the European Institute for Innovation and Technology (EIT)
Additional projects responding to the Union legislative and policy priorities could also be determined on annual basis, following consultation with member states (PLP)

- NGO operating grants

Climate change mitigation and adaptation calls 2021

Clean energy transition calls 2021

Financing opportunities

Support services