LIFE-RENEW: From Post-disaster Recovery to Sustainable Reconstruction – Building Back Better for Climate Change Mitigation and Adaptation

Project No.: 101293857
Programme: European Union LIFE Programme
Project implementation period: 01/09/2026–31/08/2029

Natural disasters and other critical events are increasingly affecting communities, infrastructure, and the environment across Europe. While disasters often cause significant social, economic, and environmental damage, the recovery process also presents an opportunity to rebuild in a way that is more sustainable, resilient, and better prepared for future climate challenges.

The LIFE-RENEW project aims to develop, test, and promote an innovative approach to sustainable and climate-resilient post-disaster reconstruction based on the internationally recognised Build Back Better principle. The project will create practical tools and policy guidance to support municipalities, regions, and other stakeholders in planning and implementing recovery measures that reduce climate risks and strengthen long-term resilience.

The project will develop a Public Policy Handbook for Sustainable Post-disaster Reconstruction, pilot local reconstruction plans, deliver training programmes, and facilitate knowledge exchange among municipalities, experts, and regions across Europe. Particular emphasis will be placed on strengthening the capacities of local and regional authorities to assess climate risks, manage disaster recovery processes, and integrate resilience principles into development planning.

Role of the Kurzeme Planning Region

The Kurzeme Planning Region represents the regional level of Latvia within the project and plays a key role in strengthening the capacity of municipalities to implement sustainable and climate-resilient reconstruction measures.

Within the LIFE-RENEW project, the Kurzeme Planning Region will:

• Contribute to project management and coordination activities;
• Organise participatory workshops, field research activities, and stakeholder consultations;
• Support municipalities in developing and testing Local Sustainable Reconstruction Plans;
• Deliver sector-specific training programmes for municipal professionals and practitioners;
• Participate in the establishment of the international Build Back Better Practitioners and Regions Network;
• Implement national communication and dissemination activities;
• Contribute to the long-term sustainability, replication, and exploitation of project results.

Through these activities, the Kurzeme Planning Region will support municipalities in improving preparedness, recovery planning, and climate resilience while fostering cooperation among local, regional, national, and European stakeholders.

Project Partners

The project is implemented by a consortium of nine partner organisations from eight European countries: Greece, Spain, Romania, Belgium, Latvia, Austria, Italy, and Ukraine. The project will develop a Public Policy Handbook for Sustainable Post-disaster Reconstruction, prepare Local Sustainable Reconstruction Plans, and establish an international Build Back Better Practitioners and Regions Network to promote climate-resilient reconstruction across Europe.

The project consortium consists of nine partners from eight countries:

• ENA Institute for Alternative Policies (Greece)
• I-CATALIST SL (Spain)
• Asociatia Climato Sfera (Romania)
• PXL University of Applied Sciences and Arts (Belgium)
• Kurzeme Planning Region (Latvia)
• International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis (Austria)
• ANCI Toscana (Italy)
• Institute of Climate-Smart Agriculture of the National Academy of Agrarian Sciences of Ukraine (Ukraine)
• Municipality of Kileler (Greece)

Expected Results

The project will deliver:

• A Public Policy Handbook for Sustainable Post-disaster Reconstruction;
• Pilot Local Sustainable Reconstruction Plans;
• Increased knowledge and capacities of municipalities and practitioners in climate-resilient recovery and reconstruction;
• An international Build Back Better Practitioners and Regions Network;
• Policy recommendations supporting a European approach to sustainable post-disaster recovery.

By strengthening institutional capacities and promoting practical solutions for resilient reconstruction, LIFE-RENEW will contribute to safer, more sustainable, and climate-resilient communities across Europe.

The project is implemented with financial support from the European Union’s LIFE Programme.

Project Funding

The total budget of the project is EUR 1,848,016.47, including LIFE Programme funding of EUR 1,108,809.88.

The Kurzeme Planning Region’s budget share in the project is EUR 214,556.40, including LIFE Programme funding of EUR 128,733.84.

The Kurzeme Planning Region’s budget will support municipal capacity-building activities, training programmes, stakeholder engagement, knowledge exchange, communication and dissemination activities, as well as the pilot implementation of sustainable and climate-resilient reconstruction approaches in the Kurzeme region.

This article has been prepared as part of the LIFE-RENEW project, co-funded by the European Union’s LIFE Programme.

Co-funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or CINEA. Neither the European Union nor the granting authority can be held responsible for them.