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Tallinn begins one-year stint as ‘European Green Capital’

(EurActiv, 24 Jan 2023) The Estonian capital, Tallinn, has landed the 2023 “European Green Capital” award for its commitment to reducing carbon emissions, restoring biodiversity, as well as promoting green innovation and sustainable governance.

The European Green Capital title was handed over to the mayor of Tallinn, Mihhail Kõlvart, by EU Environment Commissioner Virginijus Sinkevičius during a ceremony on Saturday (21 January). 

The award carries a check of €600,000 to be spent on the city’s sustainability plan, improving waste, water, air quality, noise, biodiversity and soil. 

“We have worked very hard for this award, but there is still a lot of work to do,” Tallinn’s mayor Kõlvart told journalists on Friday (20 January).

“I firmly believe that the European Green Capitals need to take leadership in creating sustainable, resilient and inclusive cities of the future in order to ensure high-quality living environment as a key to a balanced and sustainable economic and social development,” he stated, adding that cities will have an increasingly central role in achieving the European targets of climate and sustainability and thus need to collaborate and share best practices.

The opening events of the European Green Capital, which took place during the weekend, brought to Tallinn representatives of 57 cities and municipalities from more than 20 countries, including 8 mayors.

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EurActiv, 24 Jan 2023: Tallinn begins one-year stint as ‘European Green Capital’