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Valencia celebrates Green Capital of 2024 award with fireworks
Valencia won the European Commission’s Green Capital 2024 award, which makes it the second Spanish city to win the award since it was launched in 2008. The city headed by Mayor of Valencia Joan Ribó submitted its candidacy based on the increase of green infrastructure, promotion of urban biodiversity, improved energy efficiency, expansion of sustainable mobility and more.
The award was announced on 27 October, with city authorities celebrating by illuminating in green a number of public buildings and a fireworks show, among other.
The EU is to provide Valencia with EUR 600,000, which the city will use for implementing additional environmental policies and projects. Besides the economic aspect, the award boosts Valencia’s prestige as a leader in EU’s green push.
Valencia was the second city to win the award on its first attempt, after Grenoble, and the first Mediterranean city to become the Green Capital.
City authorities pointed out that the European Commission assessed a dozen indicators, including air quality, noise levels, waste management, water quality, nature and biodiversity, land use, green innovation, climate change mitigation and adaptation, mobility, energy performance and governance.
They reminded that, in recent years, Valencia implemented green projects aimed at improving quality of life and mobility as well as making public spaces greener. Cities that previously won the award include Stockholm, Hamburg, Vitoria, Nantes, Copenhagen, Bristol, Ljubljana, Essen ,Nijmegen, Oslo, Lisbon, Lahti, Grenoble and Tallinn.
(Photo credit: Stephen G. / Unsplash)
