EGCA and EGLA Secretariat-Ezine No. 31 - July 2019

Ezine No. 31 - July 2019

 

 In this issue

• Leading light Lahti a northern star for cities worldwide: Lahti wins European Green Capital Award
• Welcome to our European Green Leaf cities Limerick and Mechelen
• Countdown to 14 October – deadline for entering #EGCA2022 and #EGLA2021 – Will your city follow Lahti, Limerick and Mechelen?
• All aboard! Discover Green Capital 2018 Nijmegen: DiscoverEU Meet-Up for young people
• The American Revolution: red, white and blue going green – early-mover U.S. city delegations visit European Green Capitals Oslo (2019) and Nijmegen (2018)
• Historic port city and European Green Capital Lisbon launches innovative 2020 plan on European Maritime Day
• Let’s make a match and fall in "city love" - Speed-dating session for Cities – 8 October 2019, Brussels, during #EURegionsWeek
• Latest News from EGC 2019, Oslo: including Oslo, wild at heart
• Latest News from EGC 2020, Lisbon: watershed for urban water recycling
• ​Latest News from joint EGLA 2019 winners, Cornellà de Llobregat & Horst aan de Maas
• Key Dates for your Calendar

 

Leading light Lahti a northern star for cities worldwide:

Lahti wins the European Green Capital Award!

Congratulations to the Finnish city of Lahti, who will be the 2021 European Green Capital. On 20 June, Karmenu Vella, European Commissioner for the Environment, Maritime Affairs and Fisheries, announced Lahti as the winner at a spectacular and exciting awards ceremony in Oslo, the current European Green Capital 2019. Lahti also received €350,000 from the European Commission to help kick-start its European Green Capital year of activities.

Lahti mayor Pekka Timonen and the city delegation receiving their award from Karmenu Vella, European Commissioner for the Environment, Maritime Affairs and Fisheries 

Photo: Kilian Munch

It was Lahti’s third year in a row being a finalist for the green capital award and the city was joined by two other finalists: Lille and Strasbourg from France! All finalists presented to an international jury in Oslo to demonstrate their overall commitment to sustainable urban development, their capacity to act as a role model to other cities, and their strategy for communicating and engaging with their citizens. 

Accepting the awards, Mayor of Lahti, Mr Pekka Timonen said: “We believe we will be a great European Green Capital. We will be carbon neutral by 2025 - and it’s not a plan, it’s a reality. [For] next winter, we have cut our CO2 emissions by 70% so we are almost there already. This year we will also be the world’s first city to start personal carbon-trading for our citizens. They trade with their mobile phones and earn financial benefits by reducing their CO2 emissions. That’s action, that’s what we do.”

The sound of sustainability: “world’s first carbon-neutral symphony orchestra” 

Photo: Lassi Hakkinen/Lahden Kaupunki

“You need examples, you need guidance, you need people who inspire others. We have the world’s first carbon-neutral symphony orchestra and the world’s first carbon-free professional sports’ club.”

Pioneering Pelicans: striving to be the world’s first professional ice hockey club 

Photo: City of Lahti

 

“Sustainable cities are simply better cities. They are an inspiration for everyone, they are the cities that we all want to live in, so this is what all the cities must do. It’s as simple as that.”

The awarding of the 2021 European Green Capital Award to Lahti was a unanimous decision by the international Jury. Lahti performed strongly across all the environmental indicators, particularly regarding air quality, waste, green growth and eco-innovation, as well as governance. As a pioneer in air quality, the city set out an air quality plan in 1997, which has led to a major drop in emissions since. Its engagement with local businesses in air quality monitoring, and additional air quality regulations the city itself established, particularly impressed the jury. Ultimately, showing its capacity to inspire other cities to start their own journey towards becoming "fit for life."

The Jury for the European Green Capital 2021 and European Green Leaf 2020 Awards said that green cities are healthier and happier places for people to grow, live and work in, and for visitors too. It said that all finalists showed that the green transition is affordable for all and results in more socially inclusive and connected cities. They also demonstrated that the behavioural changes required to be a sustainable city are becoming the norm for their citizens, businesses and decision makers. The winning cities are eager to demonstrate to all cities in Europe, frontrunners or not, that they can achieve meaningful and measurable progress in their journey towards sustainable development.

Follow Lahti’s journey to becoming European Green Capital 2021 here.

Welcome to our new European Green Leaf cities 2020:

Limerick and Mechelen

There were two winners of the European Green Leaf Award for 2020: Limerick in Ireland and Mechelen in Belgium. Both cities received €75,000 from the European Commission to support their environmental programmes for the year.

Limerick delegation receiving its award from Karmenu Vella, European Commissioner for the Environment, Maritime Affairs and Fisheries 

Photo: Kilian Munch

Mechelen delegation receiving its award from Karmenu Vella, European Commissioner for the Environment, Maritime Affairs and Fisheries 

Photo: Kilian Munch

Limerick and Mechelen presented to the international jury in Oslo on 19 June, along with Finnish finalist Lappeenranta. These three finalists were shortlisted from 12 applicant cities across Europe.

Limerick was commended for its ongoing investments leading to improvements in air quality and noise levels in the city. The jury was particularly impressed by the city’s current transformation into Ireland’s first digital city, integrating several public services, creating smart homes and buildings, energy districts and smart neighbourhoods. Read more here.

Mechelen was recognised for its dedication to sustainable urban mobility, nature, biodiversity, sustainable land use, and waste and circular economy. The jury was particularly impressed by how closely involved citizens were in the creation and achievement of the city’s environmental goals. Mechelen was also a finalist in last year’s competition. Read more here.

 

Countdown to 14 October 2019 – deadline for entering #EGCA2022 and #EGLA2021 – Will your city follow Lahti, Limerick and Mechelen?

Does your city have what it takes to be the next European Green Capital or European Green Leaf Award winner? The search is now on to find the 2022 European Green Capital and 2021 European Green Leaf Award winning cities.

The European Green Capital Award (EGCA), now in its 13th year, is awarded annually to a European city with over 100,000 inhabitants that has shown itself to be a leader in environmental, social and economic sustainability. The winner of the 2022 Award will receive €350,000 to kick-start its year as a European Green Capital.

The European Green Leaf Award (EGLA) is open to towns and cities with between 20,000 to 100,000 inhabitants, to recognise and promote their efforts towards better environmental management and outcomes. The winner of the 2021 Award will receive €75,000 to support its activities throughout its European Green Leaf year.

 

Benefits of winning & applying for the awards!

Being a European Green Capital or a European Green Leaf brings many benefits including, a greater focus on environmental projects, increased tourism and foreign investment, boosting the local economy and helping to create employment. EGCA and EGLA winners and finalist cities also gain access to the exclusive European Green Capital Network and European Green Leaf Network, respectively, providing them with support and a platform for sharing knowledge and best practice.

Everybody gains from entering the Awards, not just the winners. Previous applicants have reported that the application process itself has proved beneficial in evaluating their city’s progress and bench-marking themselves against their peers across Europe.

For details on how to enter, including eligibility criteria and key dates, visit our competition portal.

 

All aboard! Discover Green Capital 2018 Nijmegen:

DiscoverEU Meet-up for young people

On 12 and 13 July, #DiscoverEU travellers headed to Nijmegen, EGCA winner 2018, to participate in the first official "green city meet-up." Nijmegen is the oldest city in the Netherlands, but with a young vibe. Nijmegen is also known as the cycling capital of the Netherlands, an added attraction for young people and a form of transport that goes well with longer distance travel by train.

DiscoverEU is an initiative of the European Union giving young people the opportunity to travel around Europe. By travelling sustainably by rail, these youngsters can discover Europe's stunning natural landscapes and its endless variety of cities and towns.

Some of the benefits to cities of being a European Green Capital or a European Green Leaf include an increased focus on environmental projects as well as tourism. The DiscoverEU initiative is encouraging its young rail travellers to follow the DiscoverEU "Green Route" of European Green Capitals and European Green Leaf cities for this year’s edition. Step aboard the DiscoverEU Green Route inter-rail experience and discover more here. Why not try Oslo, Lisbon and Lahti next?

 

The American Revolution: red, white and blue going green - early-mover U.S. city delegations visit European Green Capitals Oslo (2019) and Nijmegen (2018)

The European Green Capital Award is going global! In June 2019, delegations from 11 early-mover U.S. cities visited European Green Capitals Oslo (2019), Nijmegen (2018) and also Antwerp, Amsterdam and Brussels, to share insights on what European green city champions are doing to make their cities resilient for the global challenges that lie ahead.

Globally, we are faced with enormous environmental challenges. Climate change, over-consumption, plastic waste and biodiversity loss are major threats to our cities and our future.

The European Union is a global front-runner in sustainability and climate policies and has shown its commitment to implement the Paris Agreement and the fight against climate change by mainstreaming spending of at least 25% on climate action across all EU programmes. In the proposal for a new LIFE programme for 2021-2027, theEuropean Commission intends to allocate €5.450 billion to projects supporting the environment and climate action. This is an increase of €1.950 billion. 

Ultimately, the Commission wants to help support the transition to sustainable, green cities, and make sure that this transition happens as quickly as possible. And it can’t happen fast enough, because also according to a recent survey, European citizens are concerned: “Europeans are increasingly concerned about the state of the natural world. 96 % of the more than 27,000 interviewed citizens said that we have a responsibility to protect nature and that this is also essential for tackling climate change. The vast majority of citizens - 91% - also totally agree that biodiversity is indispensable for the production of food, fuel and medicines, and 92% consider that biodiversity and healthy nature are important for long-term economic development."

The U.S. delegation included visitors from across the country, east and west, north and south, coming from Providence, Rhode Island on the Atlantic coast and from Portland, Oregon on the Pacific. Other members of the delegation came from Nashville, Tennessee; Richmond, Virginia; Washington DC; Fremont, California; Cincinnati, Ohio; Phoenix, Arizona; the state of Minnesota and Colorado cities Aspen and Fort Collins.

During their visit to Europe, the U.S. delegation members attended the European Green Capital and European Green Leaf Awards’ ceremony in Oslo on 20 June.

There, Mr Karmenu Vella, EU Commissioner for Environment, Maritime Affairs and Fisheries in welcoming the U.S. visitors said that: “they have come to learn from green champions like Oslo and Nijmegen, but I am sure that we will be listening very carefully to their experiences as well. This is a very big step for all of us - I think it’s the first time that the Green Capital is really going global - a sign of greater things, yet to come.”

 

 

Historic port city and European Green Capital Lisbon launches innovative 2020 programme on European Maritime Day

 

The Mayor of Lisbon, Mr Fernando Medina, launched the city’s plan for its European Green Capital year at an event during European Maritime Day in May. Lisbon’s vision for green leadership will be realised in a packed 2020 programme that will kick off many concrete actions for environmental sustainability. Lisbon will have a major emphasis on using the platform of its European Green Capital year to mark it out as one of the strongest responders to climate change. The comprehensive programme for the year plans to mobilise citizens to participate in Lisbon’s sustainability voyage. The city will lead and focus on measures ranging from green infrastructure to a broad mix of thematic, visual and sensory exhibitions - exploring the themes of climate change, energy, water, nature, biodiversity, waste, and as you could expect: oceans!

For more on the type of cutting-edge initiatives to expect from Lisbon in 2020, read on below to the cities’ latest news sections.

Mayor Fernando Medina launched Lisbon’s planned programme for its European Green Capital year in 2020

Photo: City of Lisbon

#UFGC19: Lisbon’s “Alone we can go fast – together we can go further” message communicated at UFGC in Oslo in May

Photo: EU Green Capital Secretariat

Follow Lisbon’s journey as European Green Capital 2020 on its official Twitter account @camaralisboa or see for more information see here.

 

Let’s make a match and fall in "city-love"

Speed-dating session for Cities – 8 October 2019, Brussels, during #EURegionsWeek

Have you ever felt alone, desperate in wanting to make your city a better, greener place to live and work? Looking for inspiration which could match YOUR needs? Search no more! Make your way to this "speed-dating session for cities" on 8 October and make new city friends to realise your city’s dreams!

The European Commission’s Directorate General for Environment brings you this inspiring opportunity during #EURegionsWeek – where you can learn from the best of the best about a range of environmental topics such as mitigation or adaptation to climate change, waste management, sustainable urban mobility or urban governance.

Cities, find your “green city love” at speed-dating for cities event, Brussels, 8 October 2019

European Green Capital winning cities will share with you how they managed the sustainability transition and how you can do the same.

Register here by 27 September 2019!

 

Latest news from #EGCA2019, Oslo

Oslo, wild at heart

As the European Green Capital this year, Oslo is working to increase citizens’ awareness of the importance of its rich biodiversity. Not many know that Oslo is the municipality in Norway with the most registered species. As the “biodiversity capital” of Norway, almost 15,000 registered species can be found in Oslo.  However, the city’s biodiversity is still under threat and organisations, individuals and the city government all need to contribute in taking care of this valuable resource. That’s why the City of Oslo, together with a range of civil society partners, organised the city’s first “Biodiversity Week” in June. 

 

Oslo: raising citizens' awareness of biodiversity

Photo: City of Oslo

Among the events that took place throughout the week were guided tours along Oslo’s waterways; trips to the biodiversity-rich islands in the Oslo fjord; seminars on the “city trees” and on how biodiversity must be taken into account in city planning; and the launch of a podcast series about Oslo’s biodiversity. More than 35 different events during “Biodiversity Week” made sure thousands of citizens gained knowledge and inspiration to take care of this precious resource.

Swans and other wild birds have made this restored waterway in Oslo their home again

Photo: EU Green Capital Secretariat

The city also organised an outdoor screening of the documentary “Oslo’s wild heart” in one of Oslo’s urban gardens. The key message from the film summarised the message from Oslo’s Biodiversity week: “Open your eyes” - get outdoors and discover the wildlife that exists right outside your door!

Outdoor screening of the documentary "Oslo's wild heart"

Photo: City of Oslo

2,600 City Changers gather in Oslo for Urban Futures Global Conference 2019

From 22 to 24 May, 300 speakers and nearly 2,600 participants from all over the world gathered in Oslo for an amazing three days in the European Green Capital 2019. Through 85 sessions, 36 field trips and 20 side events, city officials, experts and urban innovation “ninjas” shared their personal stories, experiences and even failures. The event was co-organised with FutureBuilt, an innovative project that supports climate-friendly urban development in the Oslo region. 

#UFGC19: 300 speakers and nearly 2,600 participants from all over the world gathered in Oslo

Photo: City of Oslo

#UFGC19: European Green Capital Award & European Green Leaf Secretariat exhibited – global reach

Photo: EU Green Capital Secretariat

Shaking up the city

Urban Mobility, Built Environment & Architecture, Leadership and Green Business & Innovation were the thematic areas for the conference. But the conference did not all happen behind closed doors. During the 36 field trips and 20 side events attendees, explored and experienced first-hand what made Oslo a European Green Capital Award winner. Attendees swam in the Oslo Fjord, heating up in the floating saunas made from recycled materials. They went rowing to experience the harbour’s architectural changes; visited construction sites of iconic landmarks like the Munch Museum and the new national museum, both nearing completion; discovered the joys of cycling in Oslo’s car-free streets; and went hiking in nearby forests. 

Discovering the joys of cycling in Oslo’s car-free streets

Photo: City of Oslo

Delegates had plenty of great things to say about their days at the Urban Future Global Conference and 72% of them rated the conference as “amazing.” Other comments included that “UFGC in Oslo was easily among the top 3 conferences in my entire life;” “Extraordinary audience;” and “I was both inspired and energised.” 

 

Latest News from #EGCA2020 Lisbon

Watershed in urban water recycling – first place for Lisbon

With five million tourists visiting each year -that’s nine times its own population, Lisbon has a large demand for clean water. Lisbon also prides itself on being efficient in its use of water. Lisbon’s year as European Green Capital will begin in January 2020, but this month on 8 July, it has already turned the tap on the first urban recycling network. Another first place for Lisbon!

High-quality, treated waste water will be used for irrigation and street-washing, saving valuable potable or drinking water resources in Lisbon

Photos: City of Lisbon

 

#EGLA2019 Cornellà de Llobregat celebrates World Environment Day!

This year, 5 June marked World Environment Day, an international event to promote global awareness and action for improving the environmental condition of our planet. This year, celebrating the World Environment Day was especially important to Cornellà as one of the 2019 European Green Leaf cities. It held three guided tours to explain the city’s solutions and environmental services and identify “Ecopoints” in Cornellà. 
The Ecopoints are geolocated environmental initiatives that can be found on the Ecopunts Gaia platform that includes a website and a mobile app, created to identify and geolocate environmental initiatives in the province of Barcelona. The platform encourages citizens to participate in the city’s environmental journey, by enabling them to locate points considered of environmental interest by the population. It is also intended that citizens look to the app as a reference point to find environmental points already available on maps.
The Ecopoints are classified in eight categories: water, energy, mobility, waste, natural heritage, shops and services, environmental education and sustainable businesses. Each includes the geolocation, photo and description, which can be agreed with other participants. The platform was developed by the Barcelona Metropolitan Area and Barcelona Province government.

Ecopunts Gaia platform or app encourages citizens to participate in Cornellà’s environmental journey, by enabling them to locate points considered of interest by local citizens

Photo: City of Cornellà de Llobregat

 

Latest news from #EGLA2019 Horst aan de Maas

“Bike to work day”

Horst aan de Maas officially took part in national “Bike to work day” for the first time on 23 May 2019. The idea behind the day is to encourage more people to see cycling as an easy and accessible way to get to work. 
In the lead up to the “Bike to work day” and on the day itself, the city promoted the bicycle as a healthy and sustainable option for commuting to work. Citizens were encouraged to leave their cars at home and use their bikes, even for just for one day. People who took up the challenge and cycled to work were rewarded with a healthy drink and sandwich to kick-start their day. 

"Bike to work day" 

Photos: City of Horst aan de Maas

Horst interviewed citizens who use their bike regularly for commuting to work and shared the interviews across social media to inspire more citizens to join in with national “Bike to work day” and start using their bikes more, instead of cars.

International Kids Climate Conference – Horst aan de Maas 20 to 22 September 2019

Horst is delighted to host an international Kids Climate Conference, together with the World Wildlife Fund and Center Parcs this year, from 20 to 22 September 2019.
During the Kids Climate Conference (KCC), a select group of 150 primary school students from all over the Netherlands and Flanders, Belgium will work together to raise awareness of the importance of a healthy and sustainable living environment. The city will organise workshops (together with companies and non-governmental organisations that make a difference in the agri-food & climate sector) where the team will challenge the children to come up with smart solutions and creative ideas on different topics within agriculture, food and climate. The weekend’s results will be made publicly available and will be offered to both the Dutch and Belgian governments; and the European Commission.
The KCC message fits very well within Horst aan de Maas’ European Green Leaf year aims. By hosting the KCC, Horst also reflects the growing involvement by children, internationally, in highlighting and addressing environmental issues.

 

 

Key dates for your calendar!

There are many events coming up over the next few months. Be sure to pencil them into your calendar to make sure you don’t miss out!

• Call for experts - coming soon! Call for experts to apply for membership of the European Green Capital 2022 and European Green Leaf 2021 awards Expert Panel - Follow European Green Capital Secretariat social media for updates
• 20 to 22 September 2019 – Kids Climate Conference, Horst aan de Maas (European Green Leaf 2019) Register here
• 8 October 2019 – Speed-dating session for Cities, at European Week of Regions and Cities, The Square, Brussels - learn from the best for your #EGCA2022 and #EGLA2021 applications, during #EURegionsWeek! Programme out now - register by 27 September 2019 here 
• 14 October 2019 - Closing date for entering #EGCA2022 and #EGLA2021competitions - register your interest or apply here
• 20 to 22 November 2019 – EUROCITIES Annual Conference, Prague, Czech Republic

EGCA and EGLA Secretariat:Ezine No. 30 - May 2019

Ezine No. 30 - May 2019apital 2022 and European Green Leaf Awards 2021 competitions are now open! If you think your city can be an EU Ambassador, showcasing best practice in sustainable urban development to motivate and inspire other cities, then you should apply!

The European Green Capital Award (EGCA) is awarded annually to a European city with over 100,000 inhabitants that has shown itself to be a leader in environmental, social and economic sustainability. The winner of the 2022 Award will receive €350,000¹ to kick-start its year as a European Green Capital.

The European Green Leaf Award (EGLA) is open to towns and cities with between 20,000 and up to 100,000 inhabitants, to recognise and promote their efforts towards better environmental management and outcomes. The winner of the 2021 Award will receive €75,000¹ to support its activities throughout its European Green Leaf year.

If your city is interested in applying, you will first need to register your interest hereand then you will have access to the full set of application forms. Registration is completely obligation free and does not require you to submit an application at a later date; allowing your city to explore the application process and determine whether you would like to make a formal entry.

The deadline to submit your applications for both the 2022 European Green Capital and 2021 European Green Leaf competitions is 14 October 2019 at 23:59 CEST (GMT +2).

A message from EU Environment Commissioner Karmenu Vella, “There are many ways and paths to becoming a modern green city and I encourage all cities to apply for the European Green Capital and European Green Leaf Awards as a first step to a more sustainable future.”

[1] Subject to the approval of the EU 2020 Budget and approval by the College of the 2020 Financing Decision for the EU Life Programme

Join us at this year’s EGCA 2022 Applicant Workshop!

For eligible cities interested in applying for the European Green Capital (EGCA) 2022 competition, the European Commission is hosting a one-day Applicant Workshop in Brussels on 27 May! Deadline to register is fast approaching – on the 22nd of May – so hurry up and register today! You won’t want to miss this great opportunity!

This one-day workshop will give any interested city a comprehensive overview of what’s involved in putting together a successful application for the European Green Capital 2022 competition. The competition is now open and we will be accepting applications until 14 October at 23:59 CEST (GMT +2). Register and download the applications and bring your questions to the Applicant Workshop!

You will hear insights from:

EUROPEAN GREEN CAPITAL-Ezine No. 27 – July 2018

Ezine No. 27 – July 2018

 

In this issue

• Lisbon wins the 2020 European Green Capital Award!
• Cornellà de Llobregat and Horst aan de Maas are joint winners of the 2019 European Green Leaf Award!
• New awards' competition cycles open
• European Commission calls for experts to join the Expert Panel
• What’s happening in Nijmegen?
• What’s happening in Leuven and Växjö?
• Spotlight on previous winners: Ljubljana
• GDPR notice

 

 

 

Lisbon wins the 2020 European Green Capital Award - Parabéns!

Congratulations to the Portuguese capital, Lisbon, who will be the European Green Capital in 2020! Karmenu Vella, European Commissioner for the Environment, Maritime Affairs and Fisheries, announced Lisbon as the winner at a spectacular and suspenseful awards ceremony in Nijmegen on 21 June. For the first time in the history of the awards, Lisbon received a financial incentive of €350,000 to help kick-start the European Green Capital environmental programme for their laureate year.

Lisbon mayor Fernando Medina and the city delegation receiving their award from Karmenu Vella, European Commissioner for the Environment, Maritime Affairs and Fisheries

Lisbon was shortlisted to the final stage of the competition along with Ghent (Belgium) and Lahti (Finland), from 13 cities across Europe. The finalists then presented their city to an international Jury in Nijmegen to show their overall commitment to sustainable urban development, their capacity to act as a role model to other cities, and their strategy for communicating and engaging with their citizens.

Lisbon, European Green Capital for 2020

Lisbon performed strongly across all the environmental indicators, particularly with regard to sustainable urban mobility (transport), green growth & eco innovation, climate change adaptation and waste. It was Lisbon’s commitment to sustainability despite the economic crisis that really impressed the Jury, clearly demonstrating that environmental sustainability and economic growth go hand in hand.  It was felt that the city of Lisbon will be a strong ambassador and role model, capable of inspiring other cities to start their own journey towards becoming more fit for life.  

 

Cornellà de Llobregat and Horst aan de Maas are joint winners of the 2019 European Green Leaf Award!

There were two winners of the European Green Leaf Award for 2019: Cornellà de Llobregat in Spain and Horst aan de Maas in the Netherlands. Both cities received €75,000 to support their environmental programmes for the year.

Cornellà de Llobregat and Horst aan de Maas receiving their award with Karmenu Vella

Cornellà de Llobregat and Horst aan de Maas presented in the final stage along with Gabrovo in Bulgaria and Mechelen in Belgium. The finalists were shortlisted from 15 cities across Europe.

Cornellà de Llobregat, with its commitment to transforming the city into a sustainable high-density metropolitan area, was recognised as a role model for other compact urban areas. The Jury was particularly impressed by the city’s traffic calming measures and promotion of sustainable transport modes, as well as its focus on water management.

Horst aan de Maas was commended for its enthusiasm and well-planned inclusive urban strategy. The Jury was particularly impressed by the high level of citizen engagement in a range of environmental activities and programmes related to climate change, sustainable urban mobility, water, and air quality.

 

Competition for 2021 European Green Capital & 2020 European Green Leaf Awards now open!

Does your city have what it takes to be the next European Green Capital or European Green Leaf Award winner? The European Commission has launched the competition for the prestigious title of 2021 European Green Capital and 2020 European Green Leaf.

Being a European Green Capital or a European Green Leaf brings many benefits including a greater focus on environmental projects, international media coverage, increased tourism and foreign investment, boosting the local economy and helping to create employment. EGCA and EGLA winners and shortlisted cities also gain access to the exclusive European Green Capital Network and European Green Leaf Network, respectively, providing them with support and a platform for sharing knowledge and best practice. In addition, previous applicants have said that the application process in itself proved beneficial in evaluating their progress and plans and benchmarking themselves against their peers.

Applying for the Awards

Register via the portal to check if your city is eligible for the EGCA 2021 or EGLA 2020. Applications must be submitted by 18 October 2018 at 16.00 (CEST / GMT +2). ​

 

 

Call for Experts

Would you like to be part of the evaluation process for the European Green Capital and European Green Leaf Awards? The European Commission is seeking three new experts to join the Expert Panel. Experts are required for the following three environmental indicators:

• Energy Performance
• Noise
• Sustainable Land Use

The primary role of the expert is to assess applicant cities on their performance in an environmental indicator area. This usually takes place from November to March. As part of the evaluation, experts prepare technical comments to go into the Technical Assessment Reports. Feedback from the experts is not only pivotal part of the competition process; it also provides cities with valuable advice and guidance on how they can improve their approach in each environmental indicator and topic area.

For more details about the role or how to apply, visit the Expert Panel page. The deadline for submissions is Tuesday 31 July 2018.

 

What’s happening in Nijmegen, European Green Capital 2018?

European Green Capital Week

June was a busy month for Nijmegen, who hosted their European Green Capital Week. As part of the celebration, Nijmegen organised a range of events and activities around the city, including an open air concert, excursions to see examples of urban sustainability in practice, and of course, the eagerly anticipated 2020 European Green Capital and 2019 European Green Leaf Awards Ceremony.

Excursion to Nijmegen’s De Stadswaard (Riverpark)

Click on the image below to watch the video of the European Green Capital Week in Nijmegen.

Four Day Marches

Another exciting event is taking place in Nijmegen this month; from 17 – 20 July 2018 the city will host the 102nd annual Four Day Marches (De Vierdaagse). As the name suggests, event participants must walk for 30-55km per day (depending on age) for four days to promote good health, sports and exercise. The first ever march took place in 1909 and had just over 300 participants. It has now become an international event, this year expected to attract around 50,000 participants from all over the world. Click on the link below for the official De Vierdaagse video.  

Nijmegen Green Challenges

During its year as the European Green Capital, Nijmegen is setting monthly environment challenges for its residents, businesses and institutions, with each challenge focusing on a different environmental topic. June was all about green energy, encouraging businesses to switch to renewable energy providers and residents to participate in community solar energy projects. For July, the focus is on care and exercise. Nijmegen will be challenging its citizens to ditch the car and cycle to work at least two days a week. Challenge yourself: check out the website for all past and upcoming challenges!

Read more about Nijmegen in the European Green Capital 2018 brochure in Englishand Dutch.

 

 

 

What’s happening in Leuven and Växjö, European Green Leaf winners for 2018?

 

Leuven Food Strategy

Leuven 2030 – a network of citizens, businesses, schools, and public authorities - has developed a strategy to make the food and agricultural system in Leuven more sustainable. The food strategy was a collaborative effort between a wide range of stakeholders including food producers, traders, caterers and residents, and focuses on all aspects of the food chain, from production and processing to distribution and consumption.

 

Leuven's food strategy will bring food producers and consumers closer together. Photos by Tim Buelens.

The strategy aims to bring food producers and consumers closer together, for instance, through using local and seasonal catering in schools, universities and businesses. Leuven also aims to promote urban farming and encourage citizens to grow their own food. Leuven is focusing on food as it is a vital part of life, and how we manage our food production and consumption has a profound impact on our environment as well as our health, cultural heritage and local economy. Promoting a local and sustainable food system ensures that we can meet the needs of our citizens while having minimal impacts on our environment.

Car-free Sunday in Leuven

On Sunday 26 August Leuven centre will be car free! Instead of being filled with cars, the city’s squares and streets will be transformed into sports fields, markets, music venues, dancefloors and much more! Leuven introduced an ambitious circulation plan in 2016 to restrict car use in the centre and promote cycling as means of transport. Thanks to the plan, cycling has increased by 30%, motorised traffic decreased by 10%, and citizens can now enjoy 30ha of pedestrianised zones around the city.  

Read more about Leuven in the European Green Leaf 2018 brochure in English and Dutch.

Cycling through nature in Växjö!

To mark this year’s World Biodiversity Day in May, Växjö held a 24-hour bike ride to explore the city’s wildlife. Cyclists stopped at locations such as the Kronoberg Castle ruin, the Kronoberg Nature Reserve, and Linnaeus Park, to see what different animal and plant species could be spotted. Växjö is home to 27 Natura 2000 sites, with many of its protected areas located less than 5km from the city centre. With so much wildlife surrounding the city, what better place to go for a biodiversity bike ride! For news and upcoming events in Växjö, visit the Environment and Sustainability Facebook page.

Carbon reductions in Växjö! 

The municipality of Växjö reduced its carbon emissions by 790 tonnes between 2016 and 2017, a 17% decrease in just one year! This puts Växjö on the right path towards its goal of being fossil fuel free by 2030.

One of the biggest contributors to the carbon reduction was by switching to biodiesel for the municipality’s vehicles and construction work. Växjö is now looking at its district heating system to see where further emissions reductions can be achieved. Växjö made the commitment to become a fossil fuel free city as far back as 1996 and was one of the first municipalities in Europe to sign the Covenant of Mayors, one of the largest climate change and energy initiatives in the world.  View the full news story on the Växjö Kommun website. 

Read more about Växjö in the European Green Leaf 2018 brochure in English and Swedish.

 

Spotlight on Previous Winners

Ljubljana: fighting plastic waste

Ljubljana, winner of the European Green Capital Award for 2016, has taken an innovative step towards transitioning to a circular economy! Meet BERT, a vending machine that dispenses daily essentials such as shampoo, oil, vinegar and bio detergents.

 

What makes BERT stand out from other vending machines is that it does not use packaging. Rather, customers can use their own containers to collect the products, greatly reducing the amount of plastic accumulated from a shopping trip!  

The scourge of plastic waste has gained a lot of attention recently, and rightly so; every year Europeans generate an astounding 25 million tonnes of plastic waste, with only 30% getting recycled. Packaging, such as water bottles and food containers, are the biggest single source of this waste. In 2018, the European Commission launched its Plastics Strategy to tackle the growing problem of plastic waste. The Strategy aims to make all plastic packaging in the EU recyclable by 2030, to reduce single-use plastics and also restrict the use of microplastics (the tiny fragments that come from broken down plastic). With European Green Capitals such as Ljubljana introducing innovative solutions such as BERT, we are one step closer to tackling plastic waste and moving towards a truly circular economy.