Zaragoza won the European Green Capital title, while Benidorm and Estarreja share the European Green Leaf award for smaller cities. The jury praised Zaragoza’s long-term governance and its ability to combine climate action with social resilience, and presented Estarreja as an example of moving beyond an industrial legacy through collaboration. Benidorm stood out for keeping environmental protection and sustainable development in step with high visitor numbers, a balance that many coastal destinations are now trying to achieve.

Twenty-seven cities applied and seven reached the final stage, assessed across seven areas including air quality, water, biodiversity, waste and climate adaptation. The winners receive €600,000 (Green Capital) and €200,000 each (Green Leaf) to support further action, and the Commission links their results to the Nature Restoration Regulation, which sets a goal of no net loss of urban green space and tree cover by 2030.

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