---
title: "8 Greenest Cities in Europe Named: Who Made the Finalist List for the 2028 Awards"
description: "The European Commission announced eight finalist cities competing for the European Green Capital and Green Leaf environmental awards for 2028."
date: 2026-10-05T09:52:00.000Z
lang: en
url: https://xab.info/en/posts/8-greenest-cities-in-europe-2028
tags: [green-capital, european-commission, ecology, climate-change, urban-development]
publisher: "XAB.info"
---

# 8 Greenest Cities in Europe Named: Who Made the Finalist List for the 2028 Awards

![Green cities of Europe finalists for the 2028 award](https://xab.info/media/2026/10/05/opredeleno-8-samyh-zelenyh-gorodov-evropy-2028/opredeleno-8-samyh-zelenyh-gorodov-evropy-2028-1.webp)

## 🎯 Key Points

- The European Commission named 8 finalists for the 2028 eco-awards
- Winners will be announced on October 8, 2026, in Guimarães
- 5 large cities and 3 small cities are competing for the main titles

The European Commission has officially named the eight finalist cities competing for the prestigious European Green Capital and European Green Leaf environmental awards for 2028. This initiative aims to recognize municipalities that demonstrate the greatest success in sustainable development, pollution reduction, and the implementation of innovative climate strategies. The winners will be announced soon, on October 8, 2026, during a ceremony in Guimarães, Portugal, a city that currently holds the title of European Green Capital.

### Background and Selection Criteria for Finalists

The finalist pool includes five large cities competing for the main title and three smaller cities vying for the Green Leaf award. International experts evaluated not only successfully implemented environmental projects but also the ambition of long-term plans. The jury focused on the cities' ability to effectively adapt to rapid climate change, develop green spaces, reduce harmful emissions, and sustainably manage natural resources.### Large Cities Competing for the Green Capital Title

The European Green Capital award is traditionally presented to larger cities with a population exceeding 100,000. The finalists of the current selection include municipalities that have demonstrated outstanding results. High scores were awarded to initiatives aimed at developing urban green infrastructure, including connecting parks, river zones, and wetlands into a single ecosystem to help combat flooding. Other participants focused on modernizing water infrastructure, creating rain gardens, and using treated wastewater, as well as increasing building energy efficiency and reducing district heating emissions.### Small Cities Competing for the Green Leaf

Meanwhile, the shortlist for the Green Leaf award for cities with a population between 20,000 and 100,000 includes three European municipalities. They showed stable and balanced results across various areas of sustainable urbanism. These cities actively use detailed air quality data in territorial planning and involve local residents in key environmental decision-making. The finalists will present their strategies to an international jury on October 7 and 8, 2026, detailing their plans for 2028.

### Contradictory Data

It is worth noting that discussions may arise in official reports and primary information briefings regarding the methodology for assessing emissions and the transparency of grant distribution between large and small participants. While European Commission representatives insist on the absolute objectivity of the multi-stage audit and strict environmental metrics, some independent environmental experts express concern that individual municipalities may overestimate their actual carbon footprint reduction figures due to the use of differing calculation methodologies for local emissions.

## 🔍 Fact-Check Verification

- [Определено 8 самых зеленых городов Европы: кто попал в список](https://wave.rbc.ua/ukr/trips/viznacheno-8-nayzelenishih-mist-evropi-hto-1791193431.html) - Официальные данные Европейской комиссии о финалистах премий European Green Capital и Green Leaf 2028.

## ❓ FAQ

### Q: When will the winners of the environmental awards be announced?
**A:** The winners will be announced on October 8, 2026, during a ceremony in Guimarães, Portugal.

### Q: What award categories are included in the competition?
**A:** The competition is divided into two categories: European Green Capital for cities with a population over 100,000 and European Green Leaf for cities with 20,000 to 100,000 residents.