The City of Ljubljana has been selected a finalist for the title of 2016 European Green Capital. This is a second consecutive qualification into the final for the City of Ljubljana.

The annual 'European Green Capital' award is bestowed upon the city that has achieved the highest environmental standards and is committed to ambitious goals towards further environmental improvement and sustainable development. The aim of this initiative is therefore to commend and reward local efforts to improve the environment, economy and the quality of life in cities.

Other finalists qualified by the European Commission are Essen (Germany), Nijmegen (the Netherlands), Oslo (Norway) and Umea (Sweden). View the press release here.

The cities in the final will presented their vision on 23 June, 2014 in Copenhagen, the current European Green Capital. The committee of professionals will announce the 2016 European Green Capital winner on the following day, 24 June, 2014 at a ceremony in Copenhagen.

The committee will examine the applicants and their attitude towards their adaptation to climate change, local transport, and green areas in the city, energy efficiency, air quality, acoustic environment and other criteria.

The 'European Green Capital' award is a European Commission initiative under which each year a group of environmental experts and a jury name one city as the European Green Capital. The award was first given in 2010, when Stockholm were the winners.