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Green Cities and the European Green Capital Award.
Today three out of four Europeans live in towns and cities. Urban areas concentrate most of the environmental challenges facing our society but also bring together commitment and innovation to resolve them. The European Green Capital Award has been conceived to promote and reward these efforts. Culturebrand helps Cities in the Development and the Management of the Candidacy for this important Award.
Europe is an urban society, with many environmental challenges to face. The European Commission has long recognised the important role that local authorities play in improving the environment, and their high level of commitment to genuine progress. The European Green Capital Award has been conceived as an initiative to promote and reward these efforts.
The European Green Capital Award is the result of an initiative taken by 15 European cities (Tallinn, Helsinki, Riga, Vilnius, Berlin, Warsaw, Madrid, Ljubljana, Prague, Vienna, Kiel, Kotka, Dartford, Tartu & Glasgow) and the Association of Estonian cities on 15 May 2006 in Tallinn, Estonia. Their green vision was translated into a joint Memorandum of Understanding establishing an award to recognise cities that are leading the way with environmentally friendly urban living. To view the memorandum please click here. The initiative was launched by the European Commission in 2008.
It is important to reward cities which are making efforts to improve the urban environment and move towards healthier and sustainable living areas. Progress is its own reward, but the satisfaction involved in winning a prestigious European award spurs cities to invest in further efforts and boosts awareness within the city as well as in other cities. The award enables cities to inspire each other and share examples of good practices in situ.
The overarching message that the award scheme aims to communicate to the local level is that Europeans have a right to live in healthy urban areas. Cities should therefore strive to improve the quality of life of their citizens and reduce their impact on the global environment. This message is brought together in the Award’s slogan “Green cities – fit for life”.
The successfull and already nominated European Green Capitals:
2010 Stockholm | 2011 Hamburg | 2012Vitoria-Gasteiz | 2013 Nantes | 2014 Copenhagen | 2015 Bristol | 2016 Ljubljana
Video Clips for your Inspiration
Copenhagen – European Green Capital 2014
more Copenhagen 2014
Nantes -European Green Capital 2013:
Vitoria-Gasteiz – European Green Capital 2012: