The Portuguese city, Guimarães has been nominated as the European Green Capital for the year 2026. This is due to the environmental sustainability of the city within the Braga district. Guimarães has become the second Portuguese city after Lisbon to obtain this title.
European Green Capital 2026
Guimarães has shown continued commitment to environmental sustainability within the Braga district. This has made them achieve the title of “European Green Capital 2026”. This is only the second time a Portuguese city has bagged such a title. The first time was back in the year 2020 when Lisbon won the same title.
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The European Commission organizes the European Green Capital Award. This event is held in Valencia, Spain. Valencia was the title bearer of the same award in the year 2024. These awards are given based on the local efforts for the environmental sustainability of the city. It also depends on the economy and the quality of the city as well.
Guimarães competed with Klagenfurt (Austria) and Heilbronn (Germany) for the title. The Portuguese city managed to emerge as the winner among the three cities. It will receive an award of 600,000 Euros for winning the title. This money will be reinvested in projects related to the sustainability of the environment.
Guimarães Performs Well In Environmental Index
A panel is appointed to evaluate all the factors related to the sustainability of the environment. This panel is comprised of about 7 independent experts to make sure European Green Capital 2026 goes to the right city. The same panel commented that Guimarães performed well in seven environmental parameters which made the Portuguese city win the award. The committee to award this title stated:
Air quality, noise, water, biodiversity, green areas and land use, waste and circular economy, climate change: mitigation; and climate change: adaptation –, recognizing the municipality’s ongoing commitment to environmental sustainability.
The Mayor of Guimarães, Domingos Bragança was quite happy with this achievement. He has made sure that the city follows the environmental sustainability path since 2013. He stated:
[Mayor expresses] his great satisfaction with this award, which he considers deserved, for the path that has been followed since 2013.
Mayor Expresses His Wishes
The Mayor of Guimarães, Domingos Bragança was delighted with the efforts of all the team members. He gave appreciation to both the political and the technical teams who made efforts for this award. The mayor also gave his best wishes to the Guimarães 2030 Mission Structure which will continue to work hard to achieve environmental sustainability in the city.
Domingos was so happy as he congratulated everyone from the entire community of Guimarães city to students at the schools, from hard-working scientists to the business community of the city. He stated:
Everyone was important in this success due to the involvement they demonstrated, and everyone will be fundamental for 2026 to be another great moment of collective celebration for Guimarães.
Annual European Green Capital Award
The European Green Capital award is given every year to the best city that has shown more efforts towards environmental sustainability. This award is aimed at European cities, so every country is motivated towards the real cause which is the Environmental sustainability of the region. The award is usually for cities that have more than 100,000 people living in it.
There are very tough criteria for the selection of this award. Every city must present some arguments along with evidence that they have worked towards the goal of environmental sustainability. The presentation must include what the city plans to do in the future to achieve its goal. After receiving the award, the municipality of Guimarães has shown interest in promoting more initiatives in the future. A statement from the municipality stated:
It will continue with city revitalization projects, promoting new initiatives with a view to climate neutrality by 2030, as well as initiatives to improve territorial conditions, waste management, and biodiversity protection.
Past Award Winning Cities
- 2026: Guimarães, Portugal
- 2025: Vilnius, Lithuania
- 2024: Valencia, Spain
- 2023: Tallinn, Estonia
- 2022: Grenoble, France
- 2021: Lahti, Finland
- 2020: Lisbon, Portugal
- 2019: Oslo, Norway
- 2018: Nijmegen, Netherlands
- 2017: Essen, Germany
- 2016: Ljubljana, Slovenia
- 2015: Bristol, United Kingdom
- 2014: Copenhagen, Denmark
- 2013: Nantes, France
- 2012: Vitoria-Gasteiz, Spain
- 2011: Hamburg, Germany
- 2010: Stockholm, Sweden (First ever award)
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