European Green Capital 2026 Technical Conference - European Green Capital 2024 - València

València hosts the technical session for the Finalist Cities of the European Green Capital 2026. The Palacio de la Exposición in València served as the venue for the technical sessions held on November 26 and 27. During this event, organized as part of València’s role as European Green Capital, the winning cities of the European Green Capital 2026 and Green Leaf 2026 titles were announced.

Program:

• November 26 (afternoon): Presentation of Green Leaf finalist cities’ candidacies to the European Commission jury.

• November 27 (morning): Presentation of projects by cities aspiring to become the European Green Capital 2026.

  • Finalists: Heilbronn (Germany), Guimarães (Portugal), and Klagenfurt am Wörthersee (Austria).

• November 27 (2:30 PM): Public event featuring brief presentations by each finalist city, highlighting their strengths, followed by the announcement of the winning cities.

A Model of Urban Sustainability

The event underscores Europe’s commitment to environmental responsibility, with efforts focused on areas such as sustainable mobility, carbon emissions reduction, biodiversity conservation, and natural resource management.

As the current European Green Capital, València is leading the way with the implementation of 240 sustainability projects, representing an investment of over €67 million. Key initiatives include:

• Protecting the Albufera.
• Developing a large urban photovoltaic plant.
• Expanding green spaces and promoting sustainable mobility.

Finalist Cities and Vision for 2026

The awards celebrate leading cities that address the challenges of climate change, pollution, and biodiversity loss with innovative solutions and strong governance frameworks.

• European Green Capital 2026: Heilbronn (Germany), Guimarães (Portugal), and Klagenfurt am Wörthersee (Austria).
• Green Leaf 2026 (smaller cities): Águeda (Portugal), Saint-Quentin (France), Sant Boi de Llobregat (Spain), and Vaasa (Finland).

Through this event, València reaffirms its active role as a benchmark for promoting resilient and sustainable urban models. For more information, visit the city’s official website.