The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) today presented Mendoza in Argentina and Newcastle in the United Kingdom with its first-ever Green Cities Initiative Awards during a special event for its Green Cities Initiative (GCI).
The newly established awards recognize and celebrate the outstanding efforts of cities collaborating with FAO and which embrace the GCI's vision of vibrant and inclusive cities where urban green and productive spaces catalyze climate resilience, biodiversity, social cohesion and economic prosperity.
The awards were presented at FAO's headquarters in Rome during the 9th World Forest Week and on the final day of the 27th Session of the Committee on Forestry (COFO 27), a biennial event bringing together high-level representatives, heads of forest services, government officials and partner organizations to identify emerging policies and trends, discuss solutions and technical guidance, and advise on future strategy and action.
The winners in the selected categories are:
Green Cities Initiative Youth Engagement Award: The city of Newcastle, the United Kingdom
The jury recognized Newcastle as the most comprehensive proposal for youth engagement in favour of green cities.
Newcastle hosts an annual Youth Climate Summit focusing on nature and the bioeconomy. This event aims to empower the city's youth by involving them in activities geared towards making the city more environmentally friendly. The participants often come up with innovative projects, and the municipality offers support for these initiatives.
Youth engagement activities, including establishing a Youth Council, are central to the city's climate strategy. These efforts directly contribute to Newcastle's vision and actions to become a greener city.
Green Cities Initiative Innovation Award: The city of Mendoza, Argentina
Mendoza has established innovative metropolitan governance by creating UNICIPIO, a Public Policy Coordination Council for the Metropolitan Area of Mendoza. This council addresses environmental and social challenges at the metropolitan level. As a result, Mendoza has been able to develop urban forestry projects, policies, and management strategies that operate at this level. These initiatives include a digital platform and actively involve citizens and students in implementing activities.
Green cities for a sustainable future
The Green Cities Initiative (GCI) was launched at the 75th session of the United National General Assembly in September 2020 to help transform our cities into greener, healthier, and more resilient urban environments.
The GCI supports cities' development through the availability and access to goods and services provided by urban and peri-urban forestry, agriculture, and bioeconomy.
"Since the start, through a strong partnership, the Initiative has been working with vibrant and inclusive cities around the world to embrace sustainable practices, share solutions and success stories," FAO Direct-General QU Dongyu said in an address to the GCI special event.
Today's special event also saw the launch of the FAO Green Cities Initiative Network, an innovative approach to linking cities committed to sustainability.
By joining the network, cities gain access to a wealth of knowledge, resources and support to better implement effective green initiatives and policies.
"By creating a network of cities committed to sustainability, we are fostering a global movement dedicated to building green infrastructure, improving food security, boosting local economies, and enhancing the quality of life for urban residents," Qu said.
The COFO 27 session also saw the launch of FAO's flagship report "The State of the World's Forests 2024: Forest-sector innovations towards a more sustainable future".
