Portoroz, 7 December 2023 —The Mediterranean coastal city of Genoa (Italy) is the winner of the fourth edition (2023) of the Istanbul Environment Friendly City Award. Mr. Mario Mascia, Councillor of Genoa Municipality for Urban Planning, Maritime State Property, and Economic Development received the award at a ceremony held during the Ministerial Session of the 23rd Meeting (COP 23) of the Contracting Parties to the Convention for the Protection of the Marine Environment and the Coastal Region of the Mediterranean (Barcelona Convention) on 7 December 2023 in Portoroz, Slovenia. The Award recognizes and highlights the role and efforts of local authorities of coastal cities in achieving sustainability in the Mediterranean context.
Promoted by the Mediterranean Action Plan of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP/MAP) and funded by the Government of Türkiye, the Istanbul Environment Friendly City Award was established by the Contracting Parties to the Barcelona Convention and its Protocols at COP 19 (Athens, Greece, February 2016) in the context of the implementation of the Mediterranean Strategy for Sustainable Development (MSSD).
“This is a great result for Genoa. An award that confirms the great commitment of our city to a prosperous and sustainable future. Learning from the past, studying the future scenarios and transforming challenges into opportunities represent the route we follow to become more attractive and sustainable, fostering a better quality of life through the protection and promotion of the terrestrial, marine and coastal ecosystems as a legacy for the people tomorrow,” said Mr. Marco Bucci, Mayor of Genoa.
The call for applications for the fourth edition of the award invited cities and municipalities located along the Mediterranean coast to apply by demonstrating actions, achievements and perspectives under four categories: nature and biodiversity protection, built environment (housing and urban planning), social, economic and cultural sustainability; and governance.
“Congratulations to the Municipality of Genoa, winner of the 2023 edition of the Istanbul Environment Friendly City Award following an independent and thorough review of applications received from several Mediterranean cities. Genoa demonstrated progress in the three fields covered by the Award,” said Tatjana Hema, the UNEP/MAP Coordinator.
Genoa is a member of MedCities, which supported the promotion of the Award. Serving as a network of 80 local councils and unions of municipalities from around the Mediterranean region, MedCities helps its members bolster capacity to respond to the challenges they face regarding environmental policies, urban services, strategic planning and the implementation of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
The jury, which confirmed Genoa as the winner of the 2023 edition of the Award, comprises members of the Bureau of the Contracting Parties to the Barcelona Convention and its Protocols and the President of the Mediterranean Commission on Sustainable Development.
The previous editions of the Award went to Izmir (Turkey) in 2017, Ashdod (Israel) in 2019, and Málaga (Spain) in 2021.
