Bristol short-listed as first European Green Capital

Release Date: 06-Nov-2008

Bristol has been chosen as the only city in the UK to be short-listed for the European Green Capital Award. The city has been pre-selected alongside seven other European top environmental cities out of 35 initial applications.

The seven other cities are: Amsterdam (Netherlands); Copenhagen (Denmark); Freiburg (Germany); Hamburg (Germany); Munster (Germany); Oslo (Norway); Stockholm (Sweden).

Leader of the Council Helen Holland said: “This is absolutely fantastic news for Bristol and it is a real credit to our city and our partners that the bid we submitted has been recognised. It is an honour to be considered alongside these other great European cities. Our vision is to make Bristol a truly green capital with a more sustainable future for everyone. By working together, residents alongside local businesses and organisations, we can tackle head-on the big issues that face us such as climate change, transport and congestion, and the longer term creation of better neighbourhoods.”

The European Green Capital Award aims to help cities become more attractive and healthy places, “fit for life” - and is similar to the European Capital of Culture competition. Every year from 2010 a European city will be appointed as European Green Capital by a panel of international recognised environmental experts and a jury. The award will be given to a city that has demonstrated a well-established record achieving high environmental standards and is committed to further environmental improvement and sustainable development. The winning city will act as a role model for all other European cities.

"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.

Bristol launched a Green Capital Action Plan in 2007 in order to help its bid to become European Green Capital. Much progress has already been made in many areas of the green capital agenda:

expansion of the cycling network, resulting in Bristol being chosen as the UK’s first Cycling City earlier this year, winning £11.4m of government funding with South Gloucestershire Council;
the implementation of two ‘showcase’ bus routes and the expansion of the Park and Ride schemes;
the introduction of a Parks and Green Spaces Strategy, which aims to improve accessibility for all as well as improving the quality of the green space. In recognition of the quality of their work, Bristol Parks this year won the Civic Trust National Green Flag Award for Blaise Castle Estate, the Downs, Queen Square and Trooper’s Hill Nature Reserve
the formation of the Biodiversity Action Partnership (due to be launched next week), which sets out an ambitious blueprint for the future of Bristol’s wildlife and identifies practical ways to protect and promote local flora and fauna
the adoption of the West of England Joint Waste Management Strategy, which will deliver significant reductions in the amount of waste being sent to landfill sites, maximise the efficient recovery of resources, and maintain a long-term commitment to increase waste reduction, reuse, recycling and composting.
a Planning application submitted for two wind turbines at Avonmouth to supply up to 20% of the council’s energy needs.

For the second evaluation round, the eight short-listed cities will be assessed by the panel who will then 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.

Author: Catherine Frankpitt Tel: 0117 922 3463

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