Mark your calendars: The Green City Accord, a new movement of Mayors for the environment initiated by the European Commission, is ready to be launched during a high-level event at the European Week of Regions and Cities, taking place on 22 October 2020 from 11:30 to 13:00.

Speakers at the launch event include Joanna Drake, Deputy Director-General and Claudia Fusco, Head of Environmental Knowledge, Eco-Innovation and SMEs, both DG Environment of the European Commission, as well as Juan Espadas Cejas, Mayor of Seville, Spain and Chair of the Environment, Climate Change and Energy (ENVE) Commission of the Committee of the Regions. Anna Lisa Boni, Secretary General of EUROCITIES, will moderate the event.

Registration for the European Week of Regions and Cities is open until 14 October (extended deadline!); more information can be found here.

By joining the Green City Accord, cities commit themselves to more ambitious environmental actions, thus making their cities cleaner, healthier and more resource-efficient. Stepping up local actions will also help the implementation of the EU's environment acquis and of the environmental ambitions of the European Green Deal.

The Green City Accord will focus on the domains of air, water, nature & biodiversity, waste & the Circular Economy and noise and provide support to cities that are ready to make headway towards the following goals by 2030:

• Significant improvement in air quality in cities and moving closer to respecting the World Health Organization’s Air Quality Guidelines, while ending exceedances of EU air quality standards as soon as possible.
• Important progress in achieving the quality of water bodies and the efficiency of water use.
• Considerable increase in the extent and quality of green areas in cities, including by halting the loss of and restoring urban ecosystems.
• Advancing the circular economy, including by securing a significant improvement in the management of household municipal waste, a substantial improvement in recycling, and a reduction in waste generation.
• Significant reduction in noise pollution in our cities moving closer to World Health Organization’s recommended levels.

ICLEI Europe – alongside EUROCITIES and CEMR – are supporting the European Commission in developing and implementing the Accord. Join the launch event by registering here before 14 October.

For more information regarding the Green City Accord, please visit www.greencityaccord.eu, or write to contact@greencityaccord.eu