The Biodiversity Foundation, a public foundation of the Government of Spain, under the Ministry of the Environment, Rural and Marine Affairs, supports different projects, framed in the Empleaverde Programme, to promote employment and good environmental practices in Aragon, for a total amount of 127,206.42 euros.

Thus, the initiatives of the Healthy Life Association, the Forest Technology Centre of Catalonia, the National Association of Aggregate Manufacturers (ANEFA) and the Association for Spanish Forest Certification (PEFC Spain), will be aimed, in part, at workers in Aragon.

The Biodiversity Foundation is the managing body of the European Social Fund (F.S.E.) and in 2008 it allocated 14,870,837.51 euros to finance 32 projects aimed at improving employment and the environment, through the Empleaverde Programme.

According to the objectives of the 32 approved projects, it is estimated that more than 13,000 workers will be trained, some 300 enterprises or business activities in the environmental sector will be created or started and more than 300,000 workers will be involved in the activities of the projects.

Within the framework of this programme, the Foundation manages the funds allocated to it by the Adaptability and Employment Operational Programme of the European Social Fund (F.S.E.) for the period 2007-2013.

The empleaverde programme has set goals for the period 2007-2013 to support more than 50,000 people and promote the creation of 1,000 companies in the environmental sector. To this end, it has a total allocation for the years 2007-2013 of 44.1 million euros, of which the European Social Fund co-finances 80% or 50%, depending on the regions in which the projects are developed.

The objectives of the Empleaverde Programme are: to promote and improve employment; increase the skills and qualifications of workers; to promote the creation and modernization of companies; adapting economic activities to environmental regulations; and promoting sustainability in economic activities.