Seitsme Euroopa rohelise pealinna võrdlus: lävendtegevused ja initsatiivid

This report compares seven European Green Capital (EGC) winners from 2015-2021 (Bristol, Ljubljana, Essen, Nijmegen, Oslo, Lisbon, and Lahti) with Tallinn across 12 environmental domains. It identifies 'threshold activities'—such as having implemented strategic climate documents and pursuing carbon neutrality by 2050—that are essential for EGC candidacy. While Tallinn performs well in air quality and green space, it lags behind winners in CO2 emissions per capita, waste landfilling rates, and the formal adoption of key strategic plans.

• The report identifies 'threshold activities' common to all European Green Capital (EGC) winners across several domains. In climate mitigation, these include having a strategic development document in implementation, a clear trajectory toward carbon neutrality by 2050, and active city participation and funding in CO2 reduction or renewable energy projects.
• EGC winners set ambitious CO2 reduction targets, typically ranging from 40% to 100% compared to a base year. Specific examples include Bristol (40% by 2020, 80% by 2050), Essen (40% by 2020, 95% by 2050), and Nijmegen (20% by 2020, 100% by 2045).
• Oslo is distinguished by an exceptionally high share of renewable energy in its energy consumption (approximately 60%), whereas other studied cities range between 4% and 35%. Oslo's strategy focuses heavily on transport, utilizing incentives such as tax exemptions and free parking to increase electric vehicle adoption, resulting in over 30% of new cars sold in 2015–2016 being electric or plug-in hybrids.
• Waste management among winners is characterized by the 'polluter pays' and 'pay as you throw' principles. While municipal waste recycling rates average 45% (reaching 67% in Nijmegen), landfilling is minimal (1–5%) in most winners, except for Ljubljana which sent 53% of municipal waste to landfills in 2012.
• In the domain of water management, threshold activities include campaigns to increase tap water consumption as drinking water and the prevention of risks related to rainwater and flooding. Most winners use nature-based solutions to reduce flood risks, as seen in Lisbon and Nijmegen.
• Governance among EGC winners is marked by the city acting as a role model, often exceeding national requirements. This includes implementing environmental management systems (EMAS or ISO) and sustainable public procurement. For example, Nijmegen's strict procurement conditions for 240 biomethane buses earned it a national exemplary title in 2010.
• Compared to EGC winners, Tallinn's strengths include the use of 100% green electricity in city-managed buildings and street lighting, a high proportion of green areas, and high outdoor air quality. However, its weaknesses include a lack of implemented strategic documents (SEKT, mobility plan, environmental development plan), high CO2 emissions per capita, and a high proportion of municipal waste sent to landfills (16% in 2018).

APA

Kaaret, K., Nõges, K., & Peterson, K. (2020). Seitsme Euroopa rohelise pealinna võrdlus: lävendtegevused ja initsatiivid. Stockholm Environment Institute. https://www.sei.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/seitsme-euroopa-rohelise-pealinna-vordlus.pdf

Chicago

Kaaret, Kaidi, Kristel Nõges, and Kaja Peterson. Seitsme Euroopa rohelise pealinna võrdlus: lävendtegevused ja initsatiivid. Stockholm Environment Institute, 2020. https://www.sei.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/seitsme-euroopa-rohelise-pealinna-vordlus.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Kaaret |first1=Kaidi |last2=Nõges |first2=Kristel |last3=Peterson |first3=Kaja |title=Seitsme Euroopa rohelise pealinna võrdlus: lävendtegevused ja initsatiivid |publisher=Stockholm Environment Institute |date=May 2020 |url=https://www.sei.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/seitsme-euroopa-rohelise-pealinna-vordlus.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{kaaret2020seitsme, author = {Kaaret, Kaidi and Nõges, Kristel and Peterson, Kaja}, title = {{Seitsme Euroopa rohelise pealinna võrdlus: lävendtegevused ja initsatiivid}}, institution = {Stockholm Environment Institute}, year = {2020}, month = may, url = {https://www.sei.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/seitsme-euroopa-rohelise-pealinna-vordlus.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }