Sofia is among the finalists in the European Green Capital competition for 2023 with a score of 44 points. Currently, the city ranks second among the four finalists from a total of 16 European cities, that have participated in the competition. This is the final step in the process of selecting a winner. Sofia will present in length its serious commitment to creating sustainable urban development to an international jury. The strategy for communication and engagement of the citizens of Sofia is one of the criteria by which the capital will be evaluated.

Sofia’s candidacy for “European Green Capital” was prepared by the “Green Sofia” project of the Sofia Development Association. It describes in detail the steps to improve the situation with some of the most pressing issues – air quality, reducing acoustic pollution, and waste management. Among the projects with a high contribution to the evaluation is INNOAIR which aims to improve air quality through innovative approaches.

Sofia will compete for the first place in this year’s “European Green Capital” with three other finalists: Helsingborg (Sweden), Krakow (Poland) and Tallinn (Estonia). The winner takes on the role of “ambassador of change”, motivating and inspiring other cities in Europe and around the world by encouraging the sharing of knowledge and experience and stimulating innovation. The winner has the task to show that green cities perform better not only ecologically, but also economically and socially.

“I am delighted to see that, despite these challenging times, European cities are taking the lead in improving their urban environment,” said Virginijus Sinkevičius, Commissioner for Environment, Oceans and Fisheries. The winner of the European Green Capital 2023 title will be announced at the official award ceremony, which will take place on 9 September in Lahti, this year’s European Green Capital.