What happened

The European Commission announced the 2028 European Green Cities award winners on 8 October at a ceremony in Guimarães, Portugal. Zaragoza, Spain, was chosen as European Green Capital 2028. Benidorm, Spain, and Estarreja, Portugal, were selected jointly for the 2028 European Green Leaf award.

The Green Capital distinction is for cities with more than 100,000 residents. Green Leaf is aimed at towns and cities with populations between 20,000 and 100,000.

Zaragoza was recognised for its governance and sustained environmental work in response to climate pressures. The jury highlighted Benidorm’s handling of high visitor numbers alongside environmental protection and sustainable development. Estarreja was recognised for moving beyond its industrial past through joint action.

Why it matters

The awards provide funding for further local environmental measures. Zaragoza is due to receive €600,000. Benidorm and Estarreja will each receive €200,000.

For EU cities and organisations working with municipalities, the results point to priorities considered in the selection process: air and water quality, biodiversity and land use, waste and circular economy, noise, and climate mitigation and adaptation. The winners also align with the EU objective of preventing a net reduction in urban green areas and tree cover by 2030, followed by increases thereafter.

Background

Twenty-seven European cities applied for the 2028 titles, and seven reached the final round. An international expert panel assessed applications before finalists presented to a jury including representatives of the European Commission, the European Committee of the Regions, the European Environment Agency, the EU Covenant of Mayors for Climate and Energy, and the European Environmental Bureau.

Guimarães holds the Green Capital title for 2026. In 2027, Heilbronn in Germany will hold the Green Capital title, while Assen in the Netherlands and Siena in Italy will hold Green Leaf titles.

What's next

The selected cities will hold their respective titles in 2028 and can use the award funding to advance their environmental programmes.