The European Green Leaf Award is open to all towns and cities from the EU Member States with a population of 20,000 and up to 99,999 inhabitants. The Rules of Contest for the latest cycle of the European Green Leaf Award are available here. The Rules of Contest must be followed in order for applicant cities to submit eligible applications.
At the heart of every winning city, there are citizens.
To best support and inspire you in your green transition, we would like to share citizen's diaries, stories and good practice factsheets. We hope they will motivate and mostly empower you in your daily life. You can find them here.
Once a quiet northern city surrounded by Drenthe’s green landscapes, Assen is now leading a people-centred sustainability movement. Guided by a vision to become the happiest city in the Netherlands, it links well-being, health and climate action through community-led innovation — from children’s air
Steeped in history and tradition, Siena is turning its medieval soul into a blueprint for modern sustainability. Guided by its unique contrade neighbourhoods, the city channels community pride and civic participation into green innovation — from reusing medieval water channels for climate-smart irri
As a European Green Leaf winner for 2026, Águeda demonstrates how a city can seamlessly blend economic growth, cultural vitality and environmental stewardship to create a vibrant, sustainable future for its residents and beyond.
Recognised for its exemplary integration of energy use into education activities, Vaasa empowers its young citizens with the tools and knowledge to contribute to a sustainable future. As a European Green Leaf winner for 2026, Vaasa is a strong example of how innovation, collaboration and a deep resp
With a population of almost 94,000 inhabitants, Treviso is a vibrant city, now recognised as sustainable example among small European cities.
Viladecans is approaching environmental commitment through a multi-level approach in a very convincing and joyful way and is focusing its whole strategy for their year as European Green Leaf winner on two main pillars: the ecological transition and promotion of a healthy lifestyle.
The motto of its Green Leaf year is “sharing is caring”, with citizens and local businesses involved in achieving a green transition.
Velenje was one of the first cities in Slovenia to install a separate waste collection system and has been improving waste management ever since.
Valongo is located in the North of Portugal, District of Porto and is part of the Metropolitan Area of Porto.
Winterswijk is located in the East of the Netherlands and provides space for a total of 28,852 inhabitants.
The City of Gabrovo is recognised as a frontrunner in climate and energy initiatives in Bulgaria, having reduced CO2 emissions by 32.9% by 2018 and receiving accolades such as the European Green Leaf Award in 2021.
Lappeenranta is a municipality located in south-eastern Finland with its urban centre situated on the shores of Lake Saimaa.
Limerick City, located in the west of Ireland, approximately 200 kilometres from Dublin, is rich in history and poised for a dynamic future.
The city was awarded the 2020 European Green Leaf title for its determination to improve itself through ambitious goals such as achieving climate neutrality, promoting diversity and enhancing child-friendliness.
Cornellà de Llobregat is a municipality situated within the metropolitan area of Barcelona. With a dense urban landscape and approximately 90 000 residents, the city faces air quality and biodiversity conservation challenges.
Horst aan de Maas, located in the Limburg province of the southern Netherlands, comprises 16 distinct urban centres, which requires strong collaboration between public authorities, organisations and local residents.
Leuven, the vibrant capital of the Vlaams-Brabant province in Belgium, is home to 98 591 residents representing over 150 nationalities.
The city earned the European Green Leaf 2018 title due to its past and current practices of utilising biomass for district heating, preserving natural areas, and promoting urban agriculture.
The Irish city of Galway was awarded the European Green Leaf for 2017 in the second year of this competition, which recognises cities for their commitment to achieving better environmental outcomes.
The city earned the European Green Leaf 2015 title due to its its comprehensive mobility strategy, efforts to reduce biodiversity loss and innovative water management measures.
The city was awarded the 2015 European Green Leaf title for its its comprehensive urban mobility plan, local air quality initiatives, water management efforts and advancements in waste management and the green economy.