The City of Stockholm (Sweden), will host the first European Green Capital Conference from 20-22 October 2010. The conference will present inspiring examples of how ICLEI member city Stockholm and other European and international cities work towards their common main challenge: meeting the demands of growing cities, and combining them with a sustainable urban development.

Stockholm is the European Green Capital for 2010 and was chosen for its broad range of initiatives. These include the city’s clear and effective measures towards reducing noise pollution, its protection plan, which sets new standards for cleaner water and the fact that 95 percent of the population lives less than 300 metres from a green area. The conference will also be the location for the announcement of the winners of the European Green Capital title for 2012 and 2013.

Mr Janez Potonik, the European Commissioner for the Environment, will announce the winners at a Gala Dinner in Stockholm City Hall. The finalists for the 2012 and 2013 awards are Nuremberg (Germany) and ICLEI member cities Barcelona and Vitoria-Gasteiz (Spain), Malmö (Sweden), Nantes (France) and Reykjavík (Iceland). ICLEI has been invited to join the jury panel once again and will be represented by Regional Director for Europe, Gino Van Begin.

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