According to a recent 20 Minutos article, Valencia City Council plans for Valencia to run as a candidate for the European Green Capital in 2024. This award from the European Union measures environmental aspects like air quality, waste management and adaptation to climate change.
A statement released by Valencia’s Mayor, Joan Ribó, suggested that the project would greatly benefit the city. Moreover, he went on to explain why Valencia is already a strong candidate.
València es una ciudad que en los últimos años está trabajando mucho en proyectos de ciudad sostenible, innovadora y resiliente frente al cambio climático
Translation: Valencia is a city that, in recent years, has been working hard on projects for a sustainable, innovative and resilient city in the face of climate change.
The European Green Capital Award
The award is an initiative to promote and support European cities that are striving for environmental improvement. The European Union introduced the award in 2010 and, so far, thirteen capitals have earned the title. Most recently, Lisbon was named the European Green Capital of 2020.
The awarding body considers candidate cities based on twelve green indicators. These indicators include air quality, noise, waste management, water management, biodiversity, land use and urban mobility. Moreover, a vital indicator is adaptation to and mitigation of climate change. This indicator is closely related to the remaining indicators: eco-innovation, energy efficiency, governance and good practices.
The jury evaluates these elements alongside citizen commitment and enthusiasm. They consider this in relation to environmental policies, the strength of associations, the green strategy, communication policies and the capital’s ability to serve as a model for other European cities.
An Overview of Valencia's Green Practices
The Deputy Mayor and Councillor for Urban Ecology, Sergi Campillo, stressed that candidacy means more than the title. Beyond the recognition, he considers it an incentive to review all green practices. Moreover, he believes that these analyses will determine ‘where they are’, in relation to sustainability.
Campillo also stated that, in recent years, Valencia city has taken an impressive leap in various sustainability policies. For example, the council has focused particularly on urban mobility, green infrastructure and light pollution. Furthermore, the council aims to coordinate with other cities and set various goals, ranging from medium to long-term solutions.
As well as this, Valencia recently became the world’s first city to measure tourism’s carbon footprint. Also, the council recently committed to becoming a carbon-neutral destination by 2025!
The Benefits of Receiving the Award
The city named the European Green Capital receives a prize of 350,000 euros and various other benefits. For example, the city can apply for community subsidies and is expected to experience increased tourism, greater investment and significant job creation. These benefits are largely driven by the positive media impact, which may also yield further benefits.
The Green City Accord
Whilst taking part in the European Green Capital, Valencia will also join the Green City Accord. This new agreement, also created by the European Union, measures five metrics: air quality, nature and biodiversity, quality and consumption efficient water, waste and circular economy and noise level. The agreement, which is open to all European municipalities, is sure to stand Valencia in good stead for the European Green Capital award.
The Mayor stated that joining the accord allows Valencia to network with officials from other green cities, who can share their experiences regarding various sustainability policies. Moreover, he believes that this distinct initiative places Valencia on the right track for the coming decades.
Why Valencia?
As Relocation specialists predominantly focused on Valencia city, we are incredibly proud to report on the steps consistently taken towards a sustainable future.
Whilst there are a multitude of other reasons to call Valencia home, for us, a proactive approach to sustainability is among the top. For those considering moving to this impressive city, you can get the ball rolling by contacting us today. We can advise you further regarding Valencia’s sustainable practices, and offer general advice about moving to and living in Valencia!
