The Green Capital of Europe
Valencia took over as European Green Capital from Tallinn in a ceremony last week, kickstarting more than 400 sustainable events in 2024. The award has been running since 2010 - generating some healthy rivalry between big EU cities as they transition to clean energy, better protect nature, and improve the lives of residents.
“Valencia has earned the Green Capital title because of its ambitious sustainability strategy, and it has learned from lessons in the past,” says EU Commissioner for Environment, Oceans and Fisheries Virginijus Sinkevičius.
“For many decades, the city has been driven forward by a bold civic movement that sustains genuine change. People are Valencia’s asset.”
When it comes to greenness, the southeastern city is already starting from a strong base.
Safeguarding the Albufera park
One of the European Green Capital initiatives from Valencia is to have the Albufera declared a biosphere reserve.
The national park holds Spain’s largest freshwater lagoon; home (at times) to 300 different species of birds, especially waterfowl including flamingos.
It’s been a Special Protection Area for 30 years, but becoming a UNESCO biosphere reserve would grant it even greater sanctity as a ‘learning place for sustainable development’.
New green routes in Valencia
Valencia has designed three new routes to showcase the city’s assets and progress in three key areas: nature, including Albufera; sustainable mobility, with greater promotion of public transport, cycling and walking; and the recovery of public space for citizen’s enjoyment.
The first new route is called ‘the green river’ and it covers the nine kilometres of the Turia Garden - one of Spain’s largest urban parks which tracks the former Turia riverbed. It's described as a “healthy backbone” with clear climate strengths: staying three degrees cooler than other areas of the city, while acting as a natural sponge that retains and filters water to the subsoil - thus preventing floods and erosion.
The second route takes walkers through the centre, across squares and pedestrianised streets that showcase Valencia’s commitment to sustainable mobility.
Route 3 encompasses the city’s “three natural pantries”: a peri-urban orchard, the fish-stocked Mediterranean sea, and Albufera with its surrounding rice fields, where paella was first cooked up.
Also on Valencia’s busy schedule is a climate summit it is planning to host, bringing together more than 200 European cities to catalyse the continent’s move to climate neutrality.
Valencia will receive €350,000 from the EU to put towards its green efforts this year.