European Commission Awards Its Greenest Cities

Cities around the world face numerous environmental challenges, including poor air and water quality, limited water availability, and growing waste management problems. At the same time, cities are also major contributors to these environmental issues.

The continued migration of people to urban areas accelerates urban expansion, often resulting in deforestation, habitat loss, and increased extraction of freshwater and other natural resources.

Urban populations are expected to keep rising. The UN estimates that half of the world’s population, around 4.4 billion people, currently lives in cities, and this figure is projected to double by 2050.

While cities are significant sources of environmental degradation and carbon emissions, accounting for roughly 60% of global CO₂ output, they are also hubs for innovation. Many of the world’s greenest cities have adopted sustainable and environmentally friendly initiatives, such as reducing emissions, shifting to cleaner energy sources, promoting recycling, integrating green spaces, and investing in infrastructure for active mobility. These serve as practical solutions to reduce the environmental pressures associated with rapid urbanisation.

Europe’s green city awards

The European Commission’s Green City Awards, comprising the European Green Capital (EGC) for cities with more than 100,000 residents and the European Green Leaf (EGL) for cities with populations between 20,000 and 100,000, aim to recognise and reward urban areas making significant efforts to improve their environment and advance sustainable living.

These annual awards encourage bold climate action and foster civic pride by showcasing cities successfully leading the green transition. This year, 20 cities competed for the awards, with an international panel of seven independent urban sustainability experts evaluating applications and shortlisting seven finalists.

Heilbronn wins the 2027 European Green Capital Award

Heilbronn, a city in southwest Germany known for its wine industry, was crowned the European Green Capital for 2027 on 2 October. The award ceremony took place at the Lithuanian National Art Gallery in Vilnius. As the winner, Heilbronn will receive €600,000 to support its continued push towards implementing more sustainable practices.

The city earned particular praise for its comprehensive approach to urban planning. According to Euro News, Heilbronn effectively integrates noise and air quality management into two major strategic initiatives: the Landscape Plan 2030 and its Mobility Concept.

Assen and Siena share the European green leaf award

The European Green Leaf Award, presented to smaller cities, was won by Assen in the Netherlands and Siena in Italy. Both cities will receive €200,000 in recognition of their achievements.

Assen was commended for its strong commitment to circularity and climate change mitigation. Its “innovative waste management policies”, including expanded PMD (Plastic, Metal and Drink cartons) collection, played a key role in securing the award.

The city has also significantly reduced its carbon emissions through building retrofits, the decarbonisation of municipal operations, and innovative energy projects, such as the Energy Garden. The creation of a cycling highway connecting Assen to Groningen further demonstrates its dedication to sustainable mobility.

Italy’s Siena shared the award due to its extensive green areas, responsible land use, and impressive recycling rate. The city has reduced the proportion of municipal waste sent to landfill to just 1%, a notable accomplishment within Europe.

According to the European Commission, “Winning cities are including their citizens in this transition, improving the urban environment, combating pollution, and mitigating and preparing for more resilience to climate change. A greener city is a place that attracts investors, tourists and provides a better quality of life for its citizens.”