Riga wants to receive the status of “Green Capital” of Europe in 2026

The title of “European Green Capital” is awarded annually to a European city with a population of over 100,000 people that has demonstrated leadership in environmental sustainability.

As stated by Viestur Zeps, Chairman of the Housing and Environment Committee of the Riga City Council, the Riga City Council has invested a lot of effort in greening the city and improving air quality in order to create a better environment for Riga residents and visitors. Investments and measures to improve the quality of Riga’s environment make the city attractive both for tourists and for entrepreneurs and investors. That is why it was decided to take another step and apply for the title of “European Green Capital” this year. The application process provides an opportunity to compare yourself to other cities.

A technical assessment of the received applications will be carried out by a group of independent experts. The European Commission will then determine the number of cities selected and they will have the opportunity to present their application and action plan to the jury.

A jury under the auspices of the European Commission will select the winner based on a number of criteria: the city’s communication strategy and its actions to fulfill its role as a European Green Capital; the overall strategy of the city, its vision and commitment to sustainable development, short-term and long-term implementation in practice; technical assessment of city performance. The title will be awarded in October 2024 at a ceremony in Valencia.

So far, Stockholm and Hamburg have held the title in 2010 and 2011. Tallinn received this title in 2023, and Vilnius will become the Green Capital of Europe in 2025.