The programme was presented by the Councilman for the Environment, Green Structure, Climate and Energy, José Sá Fernandes (elected by the PS), in Monsanto.
The planned investment for Lisbon European Green Capital is €60 million, according to the council budget approved by the Municipal Assembly.
According to the mayor, on the first day there will be a party in the Carlos Lopes Pavilion and an official dinner ceremony in the Cold Greenhouse, which will be attended by the UN Secretary-General, António Guterres, the President of the Republic, Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa, Prime Minister António Costa, Karmenu Vella, European Commissioner for Environment, Maritime Affairs and Fisheries, as well as Mayor Fernando Medina (PS).
The following day, 11 January, an exhibition will open at the Lisbon Oceanarium, for which “there is no title yet”, but which has the description: “The Portuguese Sea as we have never seen it”.
By the 12th, a total of 20,000 trees are planned to be planted in Alto da Ajuda, Santa Clara, Areeiro / Marvila and the green corridor of Monsanto.
During the presentation, the head of the Environment department also pointed out that, on 1 June, the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation hosts the opening of “Green Week 2020”, an initiative of the European Commission.
Throughout the year, Lisbon will also feature “conferences, debates and conversations on all subjects”, from “environment and climate change to health and healthy eating”.
On 6 December, the municipality opened the lisboagreencapital2020.com website and, starting in January, the Town Hall Square will feature a shop open to citizens with daily information on the agenda and an exhibition area.
The Councilman for the Environment stressed that Lisbon did not win this award for being “the most sustainable city”, but because “it was the city that evolved in all environmental parameters - energy, water, mobility, waste and green infrastructure and biodiversity”.
Sá Fernandes noted that the city and the city council have been reducing water consumption, meeting the decarbonisation goals, and also that there will be an evolution of 100 hectares in green structure by 2021.
According to the mayor, there are currently 700 plots in the city and 20 vegetable parks, and by 2021 are expected to rise to 1,000 and 25, respectively.
With the motto “choose to evolve”, the European green capital initiative is based on information, participation, appreciation, debates, and the involvement of the entire community, namely parish councils, schools, universities, companies, institutions and citizens.
“We want to inform, we want to have a great participation, we want to value, we want to debate and obviously with this all involve all”, stressed Sá Fernandes.
“We will not use the award for a vanity ride, we will use the award to pull this agenda,” said Fernando Medina.
For the chief executive, everyone needs to do more than their share, “because there are others who are not doing their part.”