Benidorm joins a European green cities agreement to strengthen environmental policies

At the next plenary session, Benidorm City Council will approve its adherence to the Green City Accord, a European Commission initiative that brings together mayors and local authorities from across Europe around a common vision of the urban future according to which, "by 2030, cities will be even more attractive places to live, promoting the health and well-being of all those who inhabit them." This is detailed in the proposal submitted by Mayor Toni Pérez to join this "Green City Accord," which has among its objectives "to strengthen environmental policies and align local commitments with the sustainability goals of the European Union."

The mayor explained that, by joining the agreement, Benidorm City Council "will agree to take the necessary measures to meet certain objectives for 2030," most of which "are already part of the environmental policies that Benidorm City Council has been developing for years." These include improving air quality; Advance in improving the quality of water bodies and in the efficient use of water resources; achieve significant progress in the conservation and enhancement of urban biodiversity by increasing the quality of green areas; advance toward a circular economy by ensuring substantial improvements in municipal waste management, a significant reduction in its generation and disposal, and a considerable increase in reuse, repair, and recycling practices; and reduce noise pollution, approaching the levels recommended by the World Health Organization.

Thus, Toni Pérez emphasized that the desire to join this initiative "is a further step in reaffirming our commitment to moving toward a greener, more efficient, and more resilient Benidorm; toward a more sustainable Benidorm in its environmental, economic, and social aspects." He also noted that this path "began in 2015, with a clearly defined roadmap that led us to become the first certified Smart Tourism Destination in the world, after which many other recognitions have followed." Among them, the Smart Travel News Awards for Most Sustainable Destination in 2024; the Environmental Sustainability Award 2024; the Green Pioneer of Smart Tourism 2025; and the fact that Benidorm's candidacy is currently among the four cities selected for the final phase of the European Green Leaf 2027 award, granted by the European Commission and which annually recognizes the work and results achieved by municipalities with fewer than 100,000 inhabitants in the face of "urban environmental challenges related to the triple planetary crisis of climate change, pollution, and biodiversity loss."

The motion, which will be submitted to the plenary session, also details that the municipality's adherence to the Green City Agreement will also allow Benidorm to increase the visibility of municipal management at the European level, highlighting the environmental measures adopted and the achievements made by the city; contribute to the development of EU environmental policies and become part of a network of cities committed to the transition towards a cleaner, healthier, and more sustainable Europe; and increase the transparency, accountability, and credibility of local administration in the eyes of the public.

Likewise, participants will be able to access information on European Union funding opportunities, participate in activities that facilitate networking and access capacity-building opportunities, receive personalised guidance and support through a help desk, and compare local progress with that of other European cities, to measure and share experiences and opportunities.