The City of Chengdu, China, was named the Grand Winner of the competition from among the seven category winners who were announced at a dedicated Awards ceremony at the Future Green City World Congress.
The City of Chengdu, China, was presented the highest accolade of the competition, taking home the title of Grand Winner for their inspiring initiative, titled the “Urban Green Heart Programme.” This groundbreaking initiative, which covers an area of 1,275 square kilometres, aims to transform the Longquan Mountain, the future heart of Chengdu City, into a world-class green space set to become the largest urban forest park in the world. The goal is not only to provide residents with a more liveable natural environment, but also to better protect plant and animal habitats, enhance biodiversity, and create a thriving urban area in which nature is at the core.
The Grand Winner was selected from among the seven category winners who were announced and presented trophies as follows:
Living Green for Biodiversity and Urban Ecosystem Restoration
Urban Green Heart Programme – City of Chengdu, China
Living Green for Climate Change
Mandera Municipality’s Greening Programme – Mandera Municipality, Kenya
Living Green for Health and Wellbeing
Green and Healthy Environments Program (PAVS) – City of São Paulo, Brazil
Living Green for Water
Climate Change Strategy – City of Joondalup, Australia
Living Green for Social Cohesion and Inclusive Communities
ResiLab BioSocial, Huerto Roma Verde – Mexico City, Mexico
Living Green for Urban Infrastructure and Liveability
SPIRE – Smart Post-Industrial Regenerative Ecosystem – City of Baia Mare, Romania
Living Green for Urban Agriculture and Food Systems
Curitiba’s Urban Agriculture – City of Curitiba, Brazil
The seven category winners, one in each of the seven Award categories, were selected by the 2024 Jury from the list of 21 Finalists.
The City of Joondalup, Australia, as well as being the winner of the Living Green for Water category, was announced as the very first AIPH Youth Award winner in recognition of their efforts to engage, collaborate with, and ensure the participation of young people in the implementation of the city’s “Climate Change Strategy.” This award, brought to life by AIPH and the Global Youth Biodiversity Network (GYBN), was selected by a dedicated Youth Jury and is envisioned to be a core part of future editions.
Hosted by AIPH and partners on the evening of the 25th September 2024, 400 high-level delegates gathered for a gala dinner at the Royal Jaarbeurs in the heart of the City of Utrecht, the Netherlands, to witness the highly anticipated announcement of the award-winning cities who are harnessing the power of plants and demonstrating how collective local action can achieve meaningful global impact. With this announcement, AIPH and partners proudly showcase the bold and inspiring urban greening initiatives by winning cities from around the world, all of whom are leading the way in shaping a greener urban future.
“It is with deep appreciation that we thank the City of Utrecht and the hosting partners of the Future Green City World Congress for providing a stage on which to celebrate the winners of the 2024 edition of the AIPH World Green City Awards,” says Mr. Leonardo Capitanio, President, AIPH. “Congratulations to the winning cities that are inspiring a global movement for transformative change. Each winner is truly a champion for the power of plants!”
The gala dinner was also the occasion at which AIPH and partners announced the launch of the 2026 edition of the AIPH World Green City Awards. With entries opening in early 2025, all cities, large and small, are invited to express their interest today! By expressing your city’s interest, you will be among the first to receive news and updates when they become available. Don’t miss out. To register your city’s interest, click here.
“We are extremely proud of how the AIPH World Green City Awards has grown from strength to strength since the inaugural 2022 edition,” says Mr. Tim Briercliffe, Secretary General, AIPH. “As we launch the 2026 edition, we look forward to seeing this trajectory continue with the prospect of showcasing even more action from even more cities around the world. Watch this space.”
To share the key features of the winning cities’ success, AIPH hosted an exciting series of 7 workshops at the Future Green City World Congress. These workshops provided an opportunity for the 21 Finalists to present their bold and innovative urban greening initiatives. Case studies of these 21 initiatives are available here.
With a dedication to building on the successful legacy of the 2024 edition, AIPH and partners look ahead with great ambition for the 2026 edition. By celebrating city-led action for nature, the AIPH World Green City Awards slogan is more in focus than ever before: Everyone wins! Cities. People. Planet.
To stay informed of upcoming news and announcements, AIPH invites you to subscribe to the monthly AIPH Global Green City Update.
