Stockholm and Hamburg steal the environmental show, COWI
Release Date: 2009-02-26
The contest to become the European Green Capital has been clinched. Stockholm will have the honour in 2010 and Hamburg the following year.
The race has been long and the competition tough. 35 cities from 17 European countries applied for the title of ”European Green Capital”. Last year eight cities were nominated for the award by an international panel of experts.
Then on Monday 23 February 2009 it was decided: Stockholm will be European Green Capital in 2010, Hamburg in 2011. The two cities pipped the other six finalists at the post: Amsterdam, Bristol, Copenhagen, Freiburg, Münster and Oslo.
Improving the quality of life
The idea behind the prize is to support the call by scientists for deep cuts in carbon emissions, for example, while not loosing sight of the human element, because cities are for living in.
COWI responsible for the secretariat
As secretariat to the European Green Capital Award, COWI was responsible for the entire run-up to the awards ceremony in Brussels. Initially, the task consisted of making the award known.
Among other things, it was a matter of designing a logo, creating a webpage, arranging contact with the press and keeping a wide circle of stakeholders constantly updated on the project.
At the same time, COWI has been instrumental in developing the selection criteria and assembling a panel of international experts on urban environment.
Many exciting initiatives
The cities have been measured partly on the basis of their overarching objectives, targets and concrete results to counter climate change, to improve air quality, promote cycling and public transport, and cut energy losses from public buildings.
"An incredible number of exciting initiatives are being taken around the cities of Europe in order to improve the urban environment. The applications for the competition to become European Green Capital are clear evidence of that. The challenge for the EU Commission and for us as the secretariat will now be to convey all the exciting initiatives so that the cities can learn from one another," says COWI's project manager Anders Richelsen.
Source: COWI
| Type: | NORMAL |
| Company: | COWI |
| Country: | Denmark |
| Url: | http://www.cowi.com/menu/news/newsarchive/society/Pages/StockholmandHamburgstealtheenvironmentalshow.aspx |