Vilnius will be European Green Capital in 2025

In that same year, there will be two Green Leaf cities – Viladecans and Treviso

Yesterday, the European Commission announced the cities that will set the tone for the green transition with their example in 2025. Vilnius (Lithuania) will be the European Green Capital, while Viladecans (Spain) and Treviso (Italy) will hold the European Green Leaf titles in that year.

The winning cities will get financial grants to help them implement their planned measures and set up a good example for other municipalities on the continent. The Lithuanian capital will get 600,000 euros, while the smaller cities will receive 200,000 euros, each.

“Vilnius – the Greenest City in the Making”

That was the motto that impressed the jury enough to award the prestigious title to Vilnius. When evaluating cities, 7 areas important for the quality of life of the citizens are taken into account - air quality, water quality, waste management, circular economy development, noise level, promotion of biodiversity and adaptation to climate change. 

It seems that the experts were most impressed by Vilnius’ ambition to show drastic progress in these areas and to showcase it as an example of what can be done in short time on multiple fronts.

Every year, we pay more and more attention to the cultivation of biodiversity, mitigating the effects of climate, more sustainable mobility and more efficient management of urban life. The vision of our city's development is to remain open, innovative, and not afraid to experiment," Mayor Valdas Benkunskas said during the awarding ceremony of the European Green Capital title in Tallinn.

Vilnius’ tech-oriented approach to citizen engagement and participation in green issues and policies is innovative. The City offers an app for citizens to engage in all relevant areas of urban management and planning.

Fostering community engagement

Likewise, the Green Leaf winners also impressed the experts with their efforts to engage local residents and to connect governmental vision with grassroots practicality.

As Green Leaf winner, Viladecans will focus on two goals in parallel: the ecological transition and promoting a healthy lifestyle.

Treviso, on the other hand, has turned to techniques, such as storytelling and gamification, to involve the community – especially the youngest. In addition, it’s stated an ambition to double the amount of trees on its territory.