The evaluation panel has shortlisted eight out of 35 European cities to support their applications for the title as European Green Capital 2010 and 2011.
The competition for the European Green Capital title 2010 and 2011 has now entered its final stages. Eight top candidate cities have slipped through the needle's eye of the evaluation panel and are now ready to become the first European Green Capitals ever.
Since 1 October, the evaluation panel, set up by the European Commission to carefully examine applications, has worked hard to match cities with the competition selection criteria. A map shows the runner-up cities that have met the selection criteria in the best possible way. Over the coming months, these cities will be asked to submit further details to support their applications.
"It has been a really tough job to choose between the 35 applicant cities, with so many impressive ideas and results already achieved. The applications contained a wealth of strong suggestions for improved urban environments and future projects. But the work of the eight nominees were of such an outstanding nature, that we felt they all could be excellent role models for green capitals all over Europe," says Ms Maria Berrini, Director of the consultancy Ambiente Italia and member of the evaluation panel.
In their applications, each city was asked to provide information on ten indicator areas with regards to their present environmental status and results, what they were doing to improve the urban living conditions, their future initiatives and dissemination plans.
When the evaluation panel has assessed the eight shortlisted cities over the course of the second evaluation round, it will present its recommendations to the jury, which will then take the final decision. The announcement of the first two European Green Capitals for 2010 and 2011 will be made at a ceremony planned for early 2009.
Shortlisted cities:
