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Benidorm is not a city that typically gets mentioned in the same breath as environmental excellence, but that perception may be shifting. The resort has been named one of eight finalists for the European Green Cities Awards 2028, an initiative run by the European Commission that recognises municipalities making real progress on sustainability, environmental innovation and quality of life.

 

The specific category Benidorm is competing in is the European Green Leaf Award, which is open to cities with populations between 20,000 and 100,000 inhabitants. Fellow finalists in the same category include Chiclana de la Frontera from Spain and the Portuguese town of Estarreja. Getting to this stage from a field of 27 nominations is a genuine achievement.

 

What caught the jury's eye, according to the independent panel of urban sustainability experts who assessed the candidates, was Benidorm's performance across several areas at once. They specifically highlighted the city's work on water management and climate change adaptation, its reduction in emissions despite handling a very high volume of tourists, and its use of green infrastructure to tackle the urban heat island effect. For a resort of Benidorm's scale and visitor footfall, those are not straightforward things to get right.

 

The Valencian regional government, the Generalitat, has publicly backed the candidacy and welcomed the recognition.

 

The finalists will have the chance to present their projects in detail to the jury on October 7 and 8, with the winners announced on October 8 at a ceremony in Guimarães, the current European Green Capital. One or two cities can receive the Green Leaf Award, with each winner getting €200,000 to put towards new environmental initiatives, along with a higher international profile and access to a European network of leading municipalities.

 

Since the award was introduced, 21 municipalities have received the Green Leaf honour. Benidorm will be hoping to add its name to that list when the results are announced in October.

 

 

 

 

Image: Harry Fabel/Pixabay