European Green Capitals

Hamburg – European Green Capital 2011

Hamburg seeks green answers to metropolitan challenges and, has innovative ideas on how to share experience and best practice as the European Green Capital of 2011.

The city of Hamburg, situated on the banks of the river Elbe, has a population of about 1.8 million and faces numerous metropolitan challenges. However. Germany's second largest city combines comprehensive approaches, policy commitment and the necessary funding needed to resolve these challenges. On the whole, it has an integrated and participative planning strategy and a strong commitment towards a "green" vision.

The quality of local ambient air is very good, and there are well defined targets, excellent results, future plans and structured monitoring with respect to climate change.

Massive energy savings
It should be mentioned that Hamburg has set ambitious climate protection goals such as reducing its CO2 emissions by 40% by 2020 and by 80% by the year 2050. CO2 emissions per person have been reduced by about 15% when compared to 1990, with annual energy savings of some 46,000 MWh, a major achievement for a big city.

The Port of Hamburg on the river Elbe is Europe's second largest in terms of number of containers handled. With a growing number of containers entering and leaving the port, expansion is a continuously discussed issue. However, geographical expansion into the surrounding area is, intentionally, just not pursued. Instead, the increasing need for greater capacity is met by making more efficient use of allocated land and by generating new areas through filling-up expendable harbour basins.

Excellent public transport

The city has also achieved high environmental standards and good performance levels in terms of cycling and public transport indicators. Almost all citizens have access to optimal public transport within 300 meters of their given location. There is also a systematic structure for green areas which allow citizens easy accessibility.

The City of Hamburg plans to launch a “train of ideas” whereby interested cities within the European Green Capital Award network ‘own’ a wagon and promote their respective green ideas, achievements and future plans. The train will then travel around Europe spreading experience and best practice in an innovative way.

About the title EU Green Capital

Europe is now an essentially urban society, with four out of five Europeans living in towns and cities. Most of the environmental challenges facing our society originate from urban areas, but it is also these urban areas that bring together the commitment and innovation needed to resolve them.

Commission recognises local efforts

The European Commission has long recognised the important role that local authorities play in improving the environment, and their high level of commitment to genuine progress. The European Green Capital Award has been conceived as an initiative to promote and reward these efforts.

Annual award from 2010

Starting in 2010, one European city will be selected each year as the European Green Capital of the year. The award is given to a city that:

Has a consistent record of achieving high environmental standards;
Is committed to ongoing and ambitious goals for further environmental improvement and sustainable development;
Can act as a role model to inspire other cities and promote best practices to all other European cities

Improving the global environment

The award marks a city's wish and capability to solve environmental problems in order to both improve the quality of life of its citizens and reduce the contribution it makes to the global environment as a whole.

Stavros Dimas, EU Commissioner for the Environment says: I trust that this award will help us turn our urban centres into prosperous places to live and work.

The first two cities that have won the award are Stockholm (2010) and Hamburg (2011). Therefore the first Hansa Green Tour went to Stockholm in 2010 and the second edition in 2011 went to Hamburg. In 2012 the third edition will go again to Hamburg to visit HafenCity, europe's largest innercity development project with high sustainable ambitions.

For a first impression about HafenCity click here.