In November 2024, the winners of the European Green Capital and European Green Leaf Awards 2026 will be revealed during a ceremony in Valencia (Spain), the 2024 European Green Capital. The ceremony celebrates the new winners of the award and gathers all cities from the prestigious European Green Capital Network, including winners and finalists since 2011. The network currently consists of about 30 cities, and counting.

As the 2024 European Green Capital, Valencia has the honour to organise the award ceremony and host representatives from the European Commission, high-level speakers, and experts in sustainability and climate change. The European Green Capital Awards is an initiative from the Commission launched in 2008 to reward European cities’ sustainability and green actions. The European Green Capital is awarded to cities with over 100,000 inhabitants, while the European Green Leaf is designated for smaller cities with at least 20,000 residents. These accolades acknowledge and encourage local efforts that support a greener, more sustainable future.

Winning cities actively engage their citizens in this transformation, enhance the urban environment, tackle pollution and bolster resilience to climate change. Greener cities benefit by not only attracting investors and tourists but also enhancing the overall quality of life for their residents. This year’s celebration will showcase the 17th winner of the European Green Capital Awards and the 18th winner of the European Green Leaf Awards. Valencia will also host the ‘Network Meeting’ held from 26 to 28 November as part of the awards ceremony. Representatives from cities, the Commission and environmental experts will gather to discuss best practices and overcome new challenges together.