The European Commission has launched the competition for the 2020 European Green Capital and 2019 European Green Leaf Awards. With more than two thirds of Europeans now living in towns and cities, finding innovative and better environmentally sustainable solutions is necessary to manage and improve how we live, travel, and work. European Green Capitals and Green Leafs provide inspiration and motivation to help other cities find solutions, on both a European and a global stage.

To celebrate the 10th year of the European Green Capital competition and to encourage more cities to apply, the European Commission will award a financial incentive of €350,000 to the winning city of the 2020 European Green Capital title (cities with more than 100,000 inhabitants) and €75,000 to the winner of the European Green Leaf 2019 title (smaller cities with more than 20,000 inhabitants).

Winning Green Capital and Green Leaf cities enjoy increased levels of tourism, positive international media coverage, increased international profiles, networks and alliance opportunities, foreign investment, and momentum to continue improving their environmental sustainability.

To help cities get started, the European Commission has organised a dedicated Applicant Workshop to be held on 27 June 2017 in Brussels (Belgium). The day will provide an overview of the competition process, include tips on how to complete the application, and will provide an opportunity to meet cities that have gone through the application process before. To register, contact applicantworkshop@europeangreencapital.eu

Both the European Green Capital and European Green Leaf Awards are open to cities in EU Member States, EU Candidate Countries, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland. The deadline for applications for both competitions is 18 October 2017.

For more information, visit the European Green Capital Award website.Image copyright: EGCA & EGLA Awards Ceremony, Essen, 2017 (Flickr) by "European Green Capital Award", licensed under All rights reserved more   27 June 2017 European Commission event to explore innovation in European cities

Registration is now open for the Joint Hearing on Cities as actors of Open Innovation event, co-organised by the European Committee of the Regions (CoR) and the European Commission's Directorate-General for Research & Innovation (DG RTD). The event will be held at the CoR Premises in Brussels (Belgium) on Wednesday 28 June 2017 from 11.00 "“ 16.30.

Cities are established as key actors for achieving a range of international agreements, from the Paris Declaration on Climate Change to the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. The Habitat III New Urban Agenda acknowledges research and innovation as a means for cities to meet the objectives of these agreements.

This joint hearing will look at how EU research and innovation support can bridge the gap between technological, digital, social, cultural and nature-based innovation in cities.

Markku Markkula, President of the European Committee of the Regions, and Kurt Vandenberghe, Director of Policy Development and Coordination of DG RTD, will open the session. The event will be webstreamed for those who cannot attend.

To register for the event, click here.Image copyright: Image (Pixabay) more

» Publication Date: 28/06/2017

» Source: Iclei Europe

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