Turkish city runs for Europe’s green award

ANKARA

The Central Anatolian city of Kütahya is among eight cities competing for the 2015 European Green Capital Award, the European Commission announced Oct. 19.

Bristol, UK; Brussels, Belgium; Bydgoszcz, Poland; Dublin, Ireland; Glasgow, UK; Kaunas, Lithuania and Ljubljana, Slovenia are also in the running.

“This is the sixth year of the European Green Capital Award. It is encouraging to see former applicants reapplying and new ones showing genuine interest. Many EU cities are setting global standards for urban sustainability, with pioneering innovative solutions to environmental challenges. The Green Capital Award is a unique opportunity for them to share this knowledge with the rest of Europe,” EU Environment Commissioner Janez Potočnik said.

The European Green Capital Award is presented to a city that pioneers environmentally-friendly urban living. An international panel of experts will begin a technical assessment of each entry on the basis of 12 factors encompassing climate change and energy performance, sustainable local transport, air quality and noise levels, green urban areas and sustainable land use, promotion of nature and biodiversity, waste management, water consumption and waste water treatment, eco-innovation and sustainable employment, and the environmental management practices of the local authority.

The winner will be announced in June in Nantes, France, the 2013 European Green Capital.