Across Europe, cities are at the forefront of the green transition—implementing solutions, testing innovations, and delivering real environmental impact on the ground.
The Green Cities Spotlights campaign aims to bring these efforts to life by highlighting concrete actions from cities participating in the Green City Accord (GCA) and the European Green Capital and Green Leaf Awards (EGCL).
Through a series of thematic features, the campaign will showcase how local initiatives contribute to broader European objectives, including the European Green Deal.
What is the campaign about?
Green Cities Spotlights is a bi-monthly communication campaign built around key environmental themes. Each edition will focus on one priority area and present selected city initiatives through:
- A featured article on the website
- Social media posts
- Inclusion in the Green Cities Newsletter (when relevant)
- Potential reuse in reports and publications
The campaign is driven by contributions from the Green Cities Network . By sharing your initiatives, you help demonstrate how cities across Europe are making the green transition a reality.
Why participate?
By contributing, your city can:
- Increase visibility at European level
- Showcase concrete environmental actions and results
- Inspire other cities with replicable solutions
- Strengthen your positioning within the GCA/EGCL network
Campaign Calendar
Each spotlight is aligned with key environmental themes and relevant EU or international moments:
| Month | Theme |
| May 2026 | Noise |
| June – July 2026 | Biodiversity, Green Areas & Land Use |
| September – October 2026 | Air Quality |
| November – December 2026 | Climate Mitigation & Climate Adaptation |
| January – February 2027 | Waste & Circular Economy |
| March – April 2027 | Water |
Please note: this calendar may be adjusted depending on content availability and communication priorities.
What kind of content are we looking for?
We invite cities to share clear, concrete and impactful initiatives, including:
- Local environmental projects and policies
- Innovative solutions or pilot actions
- Measurable results and impacts
- Community engagement activities
We are particularly interested in stories that demonstrate real change on the ground.
Highlight your “Local Hero”
To make the campaign more engaging and people-centred, each spotlight may include a “Local Hero”. This could be:
- A local NGO
- A community group
- A school or business
- An individual citizen
We encourage cities to highlight people behind the change—those actively contributing to the initiative and making a difference locally.
Bring your story to life
To enhance storytelling and increase visibility, cities are encouraged to submit:
- High-quality images or a Short video clips (1–2 minutes)
Videos could include:
- The mayor presenting the initiative
- Citizens or stakeholders sharing their experience
- On-the-ground footage of the project
Short, authentic videos can significantly increase engagement across digital channels.
How to participate
Cities can submit their contributions through a simple online form. The form will ask for:
- A short and detailed description of the initiative
- Key results and impact
- Visual materials (images, videos)
- Optional quotes and messages
Estimated time: 10–15 minutes
What happens next?
Submissions will be reviewed and selected based on relevance, quality, and thematic fit. Selected cities may be contacted for additional information. Content will be edited and adapted for communication purposes. Finally, cities will be informed when their story is published
A collaborative campaign
The Green Cities Spotlights campaign is a collective effort.
Cities and partners are encouraged to:
- Share and amplify published content
- Engage with posts on social media
- Promote their featured stories locally
Together, we can showcase the leadership of European cities in building a greener future.
Related links

A European Commission initiative to make cities greener, cleaner and healthier.
Celebrating Europe’s champions of green urban living.

