In November 2024, the winners of the European Green Capital and European Green Leaf Awards 2026 will be announced during a ceremony in Valencia, Spain, which is the 2024 European Green Capital. The event celebrates the new award winners and gathers cities from the European Green Capital Network, which includes winners and finalists since 2011. The network currently consists of about 30 cities.

As the 2024 European Green Capital, Valencia will host the award ceremony and welcome representatives from the European Commission, high-level speakers, and experts in sustainability and climate change. The European Green Capital Awards, initiated by the Commission in 2008, reward European cities for their sustainability and green initiatives. The awards recognize cities with over 100,000 inhabitants for the European Green Capital and smaller cities with at least 20,000 residents for the European Green Leaf.

These accolades encourage local efforts towards a greener, more sustainable future, engaging citizens in transformation, enhancing urban environments, tackling pollution, and bolstering resilience to climate change. Greener cities attract investors and tourists and improve residents' quality of life. This year's event 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' from 26 to 28 November as part of the awards ceremony, where representatives from cities, the Commission, and environmental experts will discuss best practices and challenges.