Five Priority areas

By joining the GCA, cities commit to taking further actions in 5 environmental management areas to achieve ambitious goals by 2030 and accelerate the delivery of the European Green Deal requirements.

GCA signatories are expected to step up efforts and report their progress in each of the five areas every three years, using a limited set of mandatory indicators.

The five environmental areas covered by the Green City Accord are detailed below.

Air quality

GCA signatory cities agree to significantly improve air quality in cities, moving closer to respecting the World Health Organization's Air Quality Guidelines while ending exceedances of EU air quality standards as soon as possible.

The latest EU development on Air quality can be found here.

Water

In joining the GCA communities, cities commit to achieving substantial progress in improving the quality of water bodies and the efficiency of water use.

The latest EU developments on Water can be found here.

Nature/ Biodiversity

Signatory cities are engaged in making considerable progress in conserving and enhancing urban biodiversity, including increasing the extent and quality of green areas in cities and halting the loss of and restoring urban ecosystems.

The latest EU developments on Nature and Biodiversity and be found here.

Waste/Circular Economy

The GCA establishes a clear objective for cities to advance towards the circular economy by securing a significant improvement in the management of household municipal waste, an important reduction in waste generation and landfilling, and a substantial increase in re-use, repair and recycling.

The latest EU developments on Waste and Circular Economy and be found here and here.

Noise

Cities endorse in joining the GCA community to significantly reduce urban noise pollution, moving closer to the levels recommended by the World Health Organization.

The latest EU developments on Noise and be found here.