Everything comes down to nature
Braga is officially Applicant for European Green Capital 2026. Find out why.
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
Councillor for the Environment and Climate Change
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