News

18 April 2017

ICLEI Members among finalists announced for European Green Capital 2019

ICLEI Members Ghent (Belgium), Lahti (Finland), Lisbon (Portugal), and Oslo (Norway) have been announced as finalists shortlisted for the European Green Capital Award (EGCA) 2019. Tallinn (Estonia) was also shortlisted. For the European Green Leaf (EGL) Award 2018 for smaller cities, ICLEI Members Ludwigsburg (Germany) and Växjö (Sweden) are among the finalists.

This year’s winners will be announced at an award ceremony on 2 June 2017 in Essen (Germany), the current European Green Capital. Karmenu Vella, EU Commissioner for the Environment, Maritime Affairs and Fisheries, said: “I would like to congratulate the finalists of the European Green Capital 2019 and European Green Leaf 2018 Awards. This year the competition was fierce, with a record number of applicants for both awards.”

Over two thirds of Europeans now live in urban areas, presenting cities across Europe with problems related to energy consumption, pollution, waste management, housing, unemployment, transport, and water conservation. By showcasing the achievements of European cities in tackling these issues, the EGC and EGL Awards aim to lead by example and inspire others to take action. The shortlisted cities will now have to convince the Jury of their overall commitment to ongoing environmental improvement and sustainable development, their capacity to act as a role model, and their strategy for communicating with the public.

For more information, visit the European Green Capital website.