The European Commission on Friday began soliciting applications for its 2012 and 2013 European Green Capital Award. With four out of five Europeans now living in urban areas, the title — established in 2006 — is aimed at recognizing the local environmental efforts of cities of 200,000 or more inhabitants.
Roughly 35 applied for the 2010 and 2011 designations, which ultimately went Stockholm, Sweden and Hamburg, Germany, respectively.
Winning cities do not get a monetary prize, but a spokeswoman for the commission, Barbara Helfferich, said cities would win recognition for their green efforts and the benefits brought to public health and well-being.
Entries are assessed on 11 environmental criteria: local contribution to curbing climate change; local transport; green urban areas; sustainable land use; nature and biodiversity; quality of local ambient air; noise pollution; waste management; water consumption; waste water treatment; and environmental management.
The jury includes representatives from the European Commission and European Environment Agency.
Stockholm took the 2010 prize in part, the commission noted, because all of its public transportation runs on renewable fuels and because the amount of greenhouse gases released by the city’s inhabitants is 50 percent lower than the national average.