LIFE financial instruments: Natural Capital Financing Facility

Under the Natural Capital Financing Facility (NCFF), the European Investment Bank (EIB) will provide loans and investments in funds to support projects which promote the preservation of natural capital, including adaptation to climate change, in the Member States. The total budget for the Investment Facility amounts to € 100 – 125 million for 2014-2017. The European Commission contributes € 50 million as a guarantee for the investments and finances a € 10 million support facility.

...The main aim of the NCFF is to demonstrate that natural capital projects can generate revenues or save costs, whilst delivering on biodiversity and climate adaptation objectives.  The NCFF is to establish a pipeline of replicable, bankable operations that will serve as a "proof of concept" and that will demonstrate to potential investors the attractiveness of such operations.

Recipients can be public and private entities, including public authorities, land owners and businesses. The size of NCFF projects will typically be between € 5 million and € 15 million. The NCFF intends to provide finance to project developers both directly as well as indirectly through financial intermediaries.

Projects potentially eligible for funding fall into four broad categories:
- Payments for Ecosystem Services (PES)
- Green Infrastructure (GI)
- Biodiversity offsets
- Innovative pro-biodiversity and adaptation investments

...With the exception of "Biodiversity Offsets" each of the above categories may involve projects in areas of high biodiversity value protected in Natura 2000...

...A € 10 million support facility for capacity building and project preparation and implementation is available for projects for which there is a reasonable probability that they, once developed in full, can be awarded NCFF funding....

...The available funding under the NCFF is expected to allow financing some 9-12 projects over the 2014-2017 period. The aim is to spread projects in a balanced way over EU Member States and over the above-mentioned project categories....

At any time, potential project developers can contact the EIB to express an interest in the facility and discuss the suitability of their ideas. Proposals will be considered for approval by the Bank, after satisfactory due diligence and selection by the Bank, within the constraints of the available budget...

Potential project developers can contact the EIB at: NCF_Instrument@eib.org

http://ec.europa.eu/environment/life/funding/financial_instruments/ncff.htm

vložila: Darina Koubínová