Benidorm joins Zaragoza in double European green award win for Spain

Benidorm, a Spanish resort town known for its skyscrapers and packed beaches, has been named one of Europe's greenest towns, sharing the spotlight with Zaragoza. The pair were announced as the winners of the European Green Leaf 2028 and European Green Capital 2028 awards, respectively, at a ceremony in Guimarães, Portugal. The awards, given to cities of over 100,000 people and those between 20,000 and 100,000, come with €600,000 and €200,000 funding respectively for each city to fund their green initiatives.

Benidorm's success is based on its ability to manage the pressures of mass tourism while protecting the environment. The city was praised for its efforts in water management and adapting to climate change, such as cutting emissions despite high visitor numbers and using green infrastructure like parks and trees to tackle the urban heat island effect.

Zaragoza, on the other hand, was recognized for its strong governance, long-term commitment, and nature preservation efforts. The city has reduced its water use by 44% since the 1980s and planted 700,000 trees as part of its city-wide green forest project. Both cities join a select group of Spanish cities with similar honors, including Vitoria-Gasteiz and Valencia as Green Capital winners and Mollet del Vallès and Viladecans as Green Leaf towns.

The two-year awards run through 2028, giving residents and visitors a year of new green activities and events.