Three Spanish cities with European recognition

Each year a city is recognised as a European Green Capital and two cities are chosen as the European Green Sheet. We tell you which Spanish cities have received these recognitions.

World Cities Day is celebrated on 31 October. This celebration was established with the aim of fostering cooperation between countries to face the challenges posed by urban planning and contribute to sustainable development.

With this same philosophy, the European Commission created the European Green Capital and European Green Sheet awards to promote and reward the sustainability efforts of European cities. In this way, each year a city is recognised as a European Green Capital and two cities are chosen as the European Green Sheet. Do you know which Spanish cities have these recognitions? We’ll tell you!

Viladecans, city European Green Sheet 2025

The European Green Leaf award is a recognition aimed at towns or cities in the EU Member States, with a population of between 20000 and 100000 inhabitants. The award recognises and rewards cities that are making efforts to improve environmental management.

On 6 October 2023 it was announced that Viladecans has been one of the two winners of the Europe 2025 Green Leaf. The city has been recognised for its achievements in terms of renewable energy and energy efficiency. The involvement of different actors, including citizens themselves, in decision-making to achieve this progress has also been assessed.

After winning the award, the city will focus on two objectives: the ecological transition and the promotion of a healthy lifestyle.

Mollet del Vallés and Cornellá de Llobregat also received this recognition in 2015 and 2019, respectively.

Spanish city Viladecans, winner of the European Green Leaf 2025 Award

Valencia, European Green Capital 2024

Next year Valencia will be the European Green Capital. With more than 800 0000 inhabitants, the city has taken important steps in recent years in terms of sustainable tourism, climate neutrality, as well as the just and inclusive green transition.

This title also recognises its commitment to the restoration of natural ecosystems, such as the dunes and wetlands of the Dehesa; and its initiative to stimulate the production of healthier and more sustainable food, “Neighbourhood and Food Programme”. In addition, Valencia was the first European city to implement a strategy to achieve the goal of being climate neutral by 2030. To this end, it approved in 2021 the Valencia 2030 Climate Mission.

Vitoria, first Spanish city to be European Green Capital

With Valencia, there are two Spanish cities that have obtained this recognition. The first was Vitoria, in 2012.

The European Union recognised the good practices that the city had been implementing to achieve sustainable development. Among them, is the recovery of the Green Ring, one of the most important elements of urban design of the city. It is a set of parks with high ecological value that surrounds the urban center of Vitoria. The European Green Capital Award also recognised its policies on sustainable mobility, sport drive, circular economy or domestic water savings.

Since its designation as European Green Capital, the city has continued to develop different sustainability initiatives. Vitoria has also been chosen, along with six other Spanish cities, as one of the 100 chosen cities that have participated in the European Mission of Smart Cities and Climate Neutral Cities.