The LIFE programme is the European Union’s (EU) funding instrument for the environment and climate action created in 1992.
Integrated projects are strategic projects supporting EU Member States to achieve full implementation of Strategies or Action Plans required by the EU environmental and climate legislation. They are implemented at national or regional scales, involving relevant authorities and very significant budgets from several EU and national sources, lasting for 6-10 years on average.
Under the sub-programme for climate action, these large-scale projects implement plans, strategies or roadmaps primarily in the areas of climate change mitigation and adaptation. Ireland's Climate Action Plan is one such plan. As well as being a specific action in the Plan, Peatlands and People also contributes to its targets in areas such as agriculture, forestry and land use; citizen engagement, community leadership and just transition; and waste and the circular economy.
The first phase of the project up to March 2023 mostly involves preparatory actions around the three pillars: Peatlands Excellence, the Just Transition Accelerator and the Discovery Visitor Experience.
The second phase (2023-25) will see the initiation of the restoration and rehabilitation work, the launch of the Accelerator programme and the finalisation of the Experience design.
The final phase (2025-27) will ensure its successful delivery and establish follow-on actions to allow for the work to continue post-project.
Complementary actions will be planned to further enhance the transferability, replicability and long-term sustainability of Peatlands and People's outcomes and to assist with the implementation of the entire Climate Action Plan.
- Investigation, assessment and selection of suitable sites
- Preparation of restoration and rehabilitation plans
- Development of drainage management plans
- Review of regulatory requirements
- Implementation of restoration and rehabilitation works
- Vegetation monitoring
- Hydrological monitoring
- Greenhouse gas (GHG) monitoring
- Further reductions in GHGs as more peatlands in Ireland are restored/rehabilitated via complementary actions
- Develop the accelerator model
- Site screening and assessment for the Just Transition Accelerator and People's Discovery Visitor Experience
- Establish the Just Transition Accelerator
- Stakeholder, partnerships and stewardship strategies
- Final site selection and development consent
- Become a self-funding legal entity and further support the midlands in a Just Transition
- Develop a business plan and establish an operational entity
- Site screening and assessment for the site of the Just Transition Accelerator and People's Discovery Visitor Experience
- Review of visitor facilitation at selected sites
- Stakeholder, partnerships and stewardship strategies
- Final site selection and development consent
- Sustainable construction of the People's Discovery Visitor Experience, including the programme, collections and exhibits.
- Operate and maintain a sustainable tourist and educational attraction which delivers a highly immersive visitor experience.
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