Hamburg has been named the 2011 European Green Capital and plans a range of green initiatives for the coming year,  including extending the bicycle path network, developing the urban railway project, promoting electromobility, making houses more energy efficient, designating new biotopes and separating and recycling waste more efficiently.

Hamburg, Germany’s second largest city with about 1.7 million inhabitants, beat out 35 other European candidates to be awarded the title by the European Commission for its exemplary commitment to environmental protection and nature conservation. The first city to receive the title was Sweden’s capital Stockholm in 2010.

Hamburg’s Mayor, Christoph Ahlhaus, regards the award as an opportunity for the city and as an incentive to become even more environmentally aware.
Enlarge image Hamburg EU Green Capital 2011 (© German Embassy)
Hamburg, famous for its many parks and green areas, wants to lead the way in Europe by reducing carbon dioxide emissions by 40 percent by the year 2020, and by 80 percent by 2050. Its aim is to operate without fossil fuels by the middle of the century.

Hamburg also wants to show how ecology and economics can be combined in a green European metropolis, and so is launching a Train of Ideas – a “mobile exhibition” that will go on tour through several European cities from mid-April presenting ideas for creating cities that offer both a good quality of life and are environmentally-friendly.