Last night, the winners of the European Green Capital and Leaf 2024 Awards were announced at a ceremony in Grenoble, France, this year’s European Green Capital. The Spanish city of Valencia will become the European Green Capital for 2024 and the title of European Green Leaf 2024 went jointly to Elsinore in Denmark and the Slovenian city of Velenje.

Valencia earned the title due to its past and current achievements in the field of sustainable tourism, climate neutrality, as well as fair and inclusive green transition. 97% of city’s inhabitants live within 300 metres of green urban areas. The city has also proven commitment to improving air quality and restoring nature ecosystems, such as the Devesa dune and wetland ecosystems. Valencia also stimulates a healthier, sustainable, and inclusive food production through its “Neighbourhood and Food Programme”. Valencia will be granted a financial prize of EUR 600,000. The prize will support the winning city to implement measures to enhance the city’s environmental sustainability as part of the European Green Capital year 2024. European Green Leaf 2024 winners Elsinore and Velenje will each receive a financial prize of EUR 200,000 to support their efforts.