Everything comes down to nature
Official portal of the Braga City Council's Department of the Environment
Braga Verde embodies the vision of a municipality that places the environment at the heart of local governance and the shaping of a collective future.
This portal stems from a clear, consistent, and committed policy direction: to transform Braga into a territory of higher quality and greater balance—one that is more attentive to its natural resources by integrating the environmental dimension into public decision-making, urban planning, the management of shared spaces, and the daily interactions between the city, its civil parishes, and its people.
More than just a collection of projects, measures, and best practices, the Braga Verde Portal gives expression to a style of governance grounded in the recognition of the environment as a key factor for quality of life, public health, territorial cohesion, landscape enhancement, and responsibility toward future generations.
The Municipality of Braga’s environmental strategy is based on an integrated view of the territory and is organized around seven strategic indicators that reflect the scope and ambition of municipal action.
Air quality, water, biodiversity, green spaces and sustainable land use, waste and the circular economy, noise levels, and climate change mitigation and adaptation all represent complementary dimensions of a unified political and territorial vision.Together, these areas affirm a concrete ambition: to build, day by day, a municipality that is healthier, more balanced, more conscious of its resources, and better prepared to respond—responsibly and with a forward-looking mindset—to the demands of the times.
Braga has been charting a path of environmental responsibility that goes beyond the implementation of isolated measures. The goal is to consolidate a coherent public policy capable of integrating investment, technical expertise, civic engagement, and close ties to local communities.
After all, environmental stewardship demands planning, continuity, and commitment. Yet, it also requires listening, education, and a collective culture of care.
On this journey, nature is not viewed merely as a decorative element of the city. It represents living heritage, identity, structural integrity, and the future. It is found in the rivers and waterways; in the hills surrounding the municipality; in the parks and gardens; in the trees that humanize the urban landscape; in the soil that must be protected; and in the communities that recognize environmental balance as a prerequisite for well-being and progress.
The Braga Verde Portal aims to showcase a strategy built on public choices, concrete projects, and a shared purpose.
Because caring for the environment is also an act of public responsibility. It means protecting what we have received, enhancing the places we inhabit, and preparing for the future with clarity of vision.
Braga
European
Green Capital 2026
According to Antoine-Laurent de Lavoisier, “In Nature nothing is lost, nothing is created, everything is transformed”. In other words, everything comes down to nature.
Under this motto, which is nothing more than an unequivocal reality, Braga is officially a candidate city for European Green Capital 2026. This candidacy, based on the principles of Rethink, Refuse, Reduce, Repair, Reuse, Recycle and Reintegrate, is part of our nature, our daily environmental challenge.
A challenge that calls for participation and involvement of all Braga’s citizens in building environmental sustainability.
Braga is becoming more natural, Braga is becoming greener.
In Braga everything comes down to Nature.
BGAi
Braga Green AI
Center for Intelligent Sustainability
Awards and
Green Honours
Braga’s environmental, social and economic performance has been recognized with several distinctions and awards (nationally and internationally) in recent years, such as:
2025: Portuguese Capital of Culture
2023/2024: European Cities and Regions of the Future – “the Best and the brightest among Europe investments destination”
2024: Europe's Leading Emerging Tourism Destination
2023: World's Leading Emerging Tourism Destination
2023: Leading Green City by the United Nations at COP 28
2023: World Green City Awards
2022: Silver certification from the Global Cities Initiative (UN-Habitat)
2022: World Mayor Sustainability Award (City Mayors Foundation)
2022: European Mobility Week prize
2021: Best European Destination of the Year
2021: Leader in the fight against climate change (Carbon Disclosure Project)
2021: World Mayor Sustainability Prize
2020: National Landscape Award (honourable mention)
2018: European City of Sport
Since 2017: UNESCO's Creative Cities network (Media Arts category)
2012: European Youth Capital
And it undertakes several initiatives and commitments, such as:
100 Cities Participating in the Smart Cities Challenge (ICC)
Green City Accord
Green Cities Network
Green City Tool
ICLEI - Local Governments for Sustainability
adapt.local - Network of Municipalities for Local Adaptation to Climate Change
Carbon Disclosure Project
Ambassador city of “Civinet Iberia”
Co-President of the IET Urban Mobility City Club
Founding member of the Global StartUp Cities initiative
Ricardo Rio
Mayor of Braga
Altino Bessa
Vice-Mayor of Braga
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Green Library
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