Congratulations ESSEN - Green Capital for 2017 - Main contents

I am just back from the European Green Capital Award ceremony, held in Bristol in the United Kingdom. I was there to announce the Green Capital winner for 2017, the German town of Essen. I also announced the two winners of the green leaf award, Torres Vedras in Portugal and Mollet del Valles in Spain.

They were most worthy winners, but my favourite memory of the trip was the collegiate and friendly atmosphere between all the nominees. The representatives of the cities of ‘s-Hertogenbosch, Nijmegen and Umeå were as positive at the end of the ceremony as they had been at the start and they will surely be Green Capital winners in the future.

I specially mention the atmosphere because the positive sense of fun at the awards is exactly the kind of ethos we are trying to instil for the whole network of green capitals. Each year we add a new member to a growing list of proud cities that are making urban living not just a healthy experience but a joyful one. Thanks particularly to this year's host Bristol, and Mayor George Ferguson, for providing the perfect stage.

With two thirds of Europeans living in towns and cities, Europe, as an urban society, faces many environmental challenges. The European Green Capital Award, now in its ninth year, pays tribute to cities that are rising to that challenge and creating a sustainable future for their citizens. It showcases cities that strive for environmental excellence, by involving communities and ensuring that urban developments are planned in a sustainable manner.

For 2017, the city that made the difference is the city of Essen in Germany. Essen has proven to be an environmentally aspirational city, in the face of a challenging industrial history. The city can be proud of its impressive water management system. Its multifunctional green areas, used for managing rainwater, for preventing floods and for groundwater recharge, represent the city's open-minded approach to innovative solutions.

As the European Commissioner for Environment, Maritime Affairs and Fisheries, I have been very impressed with the efforts made by Essen, and by the other cities across the EU. Previous winners of this Award are shining examples of how citizens can help drive environmental change.

Even simple ideas can bring a surprising degree of transformation. One impressive example I noted in Copenhagen last year was the processing of date-expired food from supermarkets. Rather than turning it into compost, transforming it into free or low-cost food has multiple social benefits, and even saves the cost of managing it as waste. On a different scale, pioneering ultra-low energy housing was another great example, incorporating a small urban farm on the balcony and roof, using only reclaimed materials.

Cities differ enormously, and how a Green Capital can look like will become ever more interesting as more contenders compete for the award. The road to 2017 will take us from Bristol, inviting Europeans to celebrate the creation of healthier, happier cities; to Ljubljana in 2016, which will plant more than 2 000 trees, create 5 new parks and revitalise the banks of the River Sava; to Essen. I look forward to the events in Essen in 2017 to celebrate its year as the European Green Capital.