Green City Accord: 100 European cities have committed to tackling the most pressing urban environmental challenges

Directorate-General for Environment

Brussels, 25 November 2022 

One hundred European cities have now joined the Green City Accord – a political commitment to make cities greener, cleaner and healthier. Cities that sign up commit to addressing five major environmental challenges: air quality, water quality, nature and biodiversity protection, circular economy and waste management, and noise pollution. The Green City Accord 2022 ceremony will take place on 29 November and can be watched online or in-person.

Commissioner for Environment, Oceans and Fisheries, Virginijus Sinkevičius said:

“With 70% of Europeans living in urban areas, cities are key to ensure a healthy future and help us reach our climate and nature protection goals. The Green City Accord helps tackle environmental challenges in a holistic way and implement the European Green Deal at cities level. We count on the dedicated work done by environmentally conscious city leaders, which is essential so that both our and future generations will enjoy a better quality of life.”

Deputy Mayor Sergi Campillo of Valencia (Spain), recently crowned the European Green Capital 2024, has underscored the role that cities play as pioneers for innovative action:

"Cities act as progressive resource hubs and can also be ideal laboratories for innovative solutions. To this end, Valencia is committed to aligning its public policies within a strategic framework of urban sustainability. The signing of the Green City Accord reinforces our commitment to a greener, cleaner and healthier city, while creating cohesion with the European Urban Agenda and the application of the European Green Deal."

Mayor Dirk Hilbert of Dresden (Germany) highlighted the commitment not just to local residents, but to wider communities as well:

“We have a responsibility to make our cities healthier now more than ever. By joining the Green City Accord, the City of Dresden is acknowledging its responsibility and commitment to Europe and the world. We know now is the time to act.”
 

Many signatory cities are already acting. Tallinn is improving biodiversity protection by investing in a Pollinator Highway; Utrecht is working to ensure that urban densification does not lead to an increase in noise pollution; Florence aims to become a “circular city” in the next years, while current Green Capital holder Grenoble has focused strongly on improving mobility and is now France’s top city for bicycle commuting.

Background

The Green City Accord

The Green City Accord is a movement of European cities committed to safeguarding the environment. In signing the Green City Accord, city leaders agree to define more ambitious environmental goals that are to be achieved by 2030 through stepping up more effective actions to improve air and water quality, conserve and enhance nature & biodiversity, advance the circular economy, and reduce noise in cities.

The European Commission formally invites mayors in the European Union to step up local action to help accelerate the implementation of the EU’s environment legislation and support attaining the environmental ambitions of the European Green Deal. In turn, the European Commission will support cities by providing networking and funding opportunities and by facilitating closer communication between EU and local policy-makers.

EUROCITIES, ICLEI Europe and CEMR are supporting the European Commission in developing and implementing the Accord.

To learn more about the Green City Accord, please visit www.greencityaccord.eu

or contact: contactgreencityaccord [dot] eu (contact[at]greencityaccord[dot]eu)

Signatory Cities by November 2022