Project news
Edit 21 July 2021
by INNOAIR project team

Sofia is one of the four European Green Capital finalists!

Sofia EU green capital finalist
We are glad to announce that Sofia is among the finalists in the European Green Capital competition for 2023! Currently, the city ranks second among the four finalists from a total of 16 European cities that have participated in the competition.

Sofia's candidacy for "European Green Capital" was prepared by the "Green Sofia" project of the Sofia Development Association, key partner in INNOAIR. It describes in detail the steps taken and plans to address some of the most pressing issues – air quality, reducing noise pollution, and waste management. We are excited that INNOAIR is among the projects that have contributed most to this fantastic achievement, piloting ground-breaking innovations and courageous measures to improve air quality through sustainable mobility. 

Between now and September 9th, 2021, Sofia and the other three finalist cities – Helsingborg (Sweden), Krakow (Poland) and Tallinn (Estonia) will further develop and present before a jury their strategy. The winner takes on the role of an "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 competition will be announced at the official award ceremony, which will take place on 9 September in Lahti, this year’s European Green Capital.

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