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Vitoria-Gasteiz receives title of European Green Capital

The European Commission on Thursday handed over the prestigious title of European Green Capital from Hamburg to Vitoria-Gasteiz.

EU Environment Commissioner, Janez Potočnik; President of the Committee of the Regions, Mercedes Bresso; State Secretary for Environment, Ministry for Urban Development and Environment, Holger Lange; and Mayor of Vitoria-Gasteiz, Javier Maroto Aranzabal, all took part in the ceremony which was held in the European Parliament during the plenary session of the Committee of the Regions.

Commissioner Potočnik said: “Hamburg has been an exemplary European Green Capital, especially impressive with its Green Train of Ideas tour spreading the important message about sustainable urban development across 18 European cities. I wish Vitoria-Gasteiz well in its endeavours during its year as European Green Capital 2012.I look forward to seeing and hearing about their initiatives throughout the year so that other European cities can learn from their example and be motivated to improve water consumption, urban planning and green insfrastructure, for example, as well as the many other elements that make a city green and fit for life.”

President Bresso said: "Citizens want Europe to bring concrete benefits to their daily life. The European Green Capitals are leading the way in this regard, with green public transport, energy efficient public buildings and many more examples of outstanding local projects often co-funded from the EU cohesion budget that go far beyond targets set by EU directives. Building on the achievements of Stockholm in 2010, Hamburg in 2011 and, we hope, Vitoria-Gasteiz in 2012, the CoR is ready to work together with the European Commission to establish a community that will allow the experience of the European Green Capitals to be more widely shared".

The European Green Capital Award recognises and rewards cities that are at the forefront of environmentally-friendly urban living and which can act as role-models to inspire other cities. Europe needs this kind of inspiration as cities strive to overcome increasingly persistent environmental problems. Vitoria-Gasteiz, capital of the Basque country in northern Spain, is the third European city to gain the prestigious title of European Green Capital since the initiative was launched in 2010, following in the footsteps of Stockholm and Hamburg.

Vitoria-Gasteiz will be European Green Capital in 2012 and the title will pass to Nantes in 2013. The competition to find the 2014 European Green Capital is currently underway with 18 cities contending for the title. The 2014 winner will be announced in June 2012 following an assessment of entries by an international jury supported by a panel of experts in different environmental fields, including a Member of the Committee of the Regions.

Source: European Commission