2028 European Green Cities Awards Finalists Announced

Eight cities out of 27 eligible applicants have been shortlisted by the European Commission for the final stage of the European Green Capital and Green Leaf Awards, which recognise excellence in urban sustainability.

The finalists are exemplary cities that can inspire others with effective measures to ensure a high quality of life and lower pollution in well-governed urban spaces.

The finalists for the 2028 European Green Capital title, awarded to cities with populations above 100,000, are:

The 2028 European Green Leaf finalists for smaller cities of 20,000 inhabitants are:

In the first stage, a panel of independent experts thoroughly assessed each application. The finalists were selected based on their accomplishments and ambitions to address urban challenges our cities face due to climate change, pollution, and biodiversity loss.

The independent experts assess applicant cities across seven environmental areas:

Air quality
Water management
Biodiversity, green areas and sustainable land use
Waste and circular economy
Noise pollution
Climate change mitigation
Climate change adaptation

European Green Capital

Aalborg (Denmark)

Aalborg distinguishes itself with an integrated approach to climate change adaptation, embedding resilience measures in municipal and local plans. Citizen participation is key, with the city keeping them well informed and encouraging active participation. The city has a high-performing waste management system.

Bielsko-Biała (Poland)

Bielsko-Biała demonstrates significant progress in climate change mitigation. The city put in place more than 30 bespoke actions, which have led to emission reductions from heating and buildings. The modernisation of district heating has also delivered major gains in energy efficiency. Bielsko-Biała’s features an active Energy Cluster and a city Eco-advisor.

Košice (Slovakia)

Košice performs well across all sustainability domains. The city engages residents in adaptation governance through targeted initiatives, while businesses contribute through water stewardship that reduces pressure on the public drinking water network. The municipality systematically embeds comprehensive air quality data in its spatial planning processes.

Porto (Portugal)

Porto scores high across all urban sustainability domains, especially in water management and climate change adaptation. Over the past decade, the city has enhanced urban water resilience and sustainability through infrastructure upgrades, ecosystem restoration, and active community engagement. Porto adopts a holistic vision to ensure that sustainability efforts mutually reinforce one another.

Zaragoza (Spain)

Zaragoza performs strongly overall, particularly in urban biodiversity, green areas and sustainable land use. The city has implemented a Green Infrastructure Master Plan, which establishes diverse strategies to maximise and connect green components across the city.

European Green Leaf

Benidorm (Spain)

Benidorm performs highly across urban sustainability domains and demonstrates a strong commitment to water management and climate change adaptation. The city has been able to reduce emissions while managing high levels of tourism. Benidorm actively employs green infrastructure to counter the urban heat island effect and enhance water management.

Chiclana de la Fontera (Spain)

The city has a strong climate change mitigation framework and a clear monitoring structure, supported by a carbon footprint tool and a public energy information platform. Their “Zone of Good Emotions”, Low Emission Zone campaign, workshops on electricity bills, and the “Chiclana Sostenible” Local Energy Community are good examples of successful public participation campaigns.

Estarreja (Portugal)

Estarreja stands out for its achievements in air quality and climate change mitigation. The city has encouraged active mobility, with more than half of internal trips made on foot or by public transport. Urban regeneration efforts focus on improving the energy efficiency of residential buildings and the development of green and blue spaces.

Next steps

The second and final stage of the selection process will take place on 7 and 8 October, when the finalist cities will make their case to a jury through their respective environmental vision, governance and communication strategies they will deploy if their bids are successful.

The winners will be announced on 8 October at a festive award ceremony in this year’s European Green Capital, Guimarães (Portugal).

The European Green Capital winner will receive a financial award of €600,000 to implement their strategy in cooperation with citizens and stakeholders.

The title of European Green Leaf is awarded to one or two cities. Each Green Leaf winner is granted a financial award of €200,000 to help organise activities during their title year and support further transformation.

Benefits for cities

Cities serve as vital engines for environmental protection, using their unique innovation, capital, and citizen engagement to implement sustainable policies that dramatically reduce the environmental footprint.

Participating in the European Green Capital Awards unlocks substantial advantages long before a winner is even announced. Every applicant city receives independent expert feedback that serves as a valuable benchmark against other cities, while those making the shortlist earn immediate recognition as leading models of modern urban sustainability.

For the winners, the title year brings a massive wave of international attention that stimulates local economies by driving tourism and attracting investment.

Beyond these immediate economic perks, the accolade leaves a permanent legacy by shifting public mindsets and rallying citizens around environmental causes with a profound sense of civic pride.

This newfound momentum drives ambitious, fundamental urban transformations that permanently elevate the city’s quality of life, while inspiring communities worldwide to follow in their footsteps.

For more information, please download our press kit.