The State Environmental Fund of the Czech Republic is launching a new call "Stavanger" supported by the Programme Norway Grants - Environment, Ecosystems and Climate Change. The call offers applicants support for the implementation of green and blue measures that lead to the improvement of air quality and adaptation to climate change at the local level. Thematically, the call follows on from two older calls of the Norway Grants, which supported the creation of adaptation strategies and air monitoring in the regions. Applications can be submitted from November 4, 2022, until the beginning of next year.

"The Call-4B Stavanger call, which is announced as a follow-up to two already closed calls of Norway Grants, the call will combine two areas of support and offer the largest allocation from the current programming period of the Norway Grants. To support measures in the area of air protection and adaptation to climate change, more than 190 million Czech crowns have been prepared for our applicants. The applicants can cover up to ninety percent of eligible project expenses," Petr Valdman, director of the State Environmental Fund of the Czech Republic, presents a new grant call.

Green air protection measures 

The area of support aimed at reducing air pollution fully follows on from the Call-2A Tromso within which municipalities and regions received funds for the implementation of pollution monitoring and the creation of action plans for air protection. The new call offers the possibility to apply for funds for the implementation of specific green measures that have been identified in these action plans. Among the supported activities are, for example, the planting of tree rows, shrub floors or the implementation of green elements of modern construction. Support for this area is set from 5 to 18.8 million Czech crowns. All legal entities who prove that their project is in accordance with the outputs of the "Tromso" call projects may apply for support.

Adaptation to climate change in municipalities and regions

The second of the areas of support continues its focus on the first call “SGS-3 Oslo” launched from Norway Grants in this financial mechanism period. “Through the "Oslo" call, we supported the creation of forty new adaptation strategies in regions, municipalities and the forestry sector. In the "Stavanger" call, we are now offering municipalities and regions the opportunity to obtain from 5 to 25 million crowns for the implementation of green and blue measures that have been identified in these adaptation strategies. Supported activities include, for example, the replacement of paved areas of residential greenery, the revitalization of green and blue elements, or the establishment of flowery meadows and other greenery with a positive effect on the microclimate," Petr Valdman describes.

Although applications based on adaptation strategies supported by the Norway Grants programme will be given priority during the evaluation, applicants whose projects are based on adaptation strategies that were created outside the "Oslo" call may also apply for support. The condition is that the given strategy is always adopted by the body that decides on its application in the given territory, and that the measure for which support is requested is actually mentioned in the strategy for a specific location.

Requests for support can be submitted via the Agenda Information System of the SFŽP CR at https://zadosti.sfzp.cz/. Admission is open from 4 November (12:00) to 4 January 2023.