Shortlist Announced for the Inaugural AIPH World Green City Awards 2022

A map of the shortlisted entries for the AIPH World Green City Awards 2022

The International Association of Horticultural Producers, AIPH, is proud to announce the shortlist of eighteen entries from cities around the world for the first edition of the AIPH World Green City Awards. In each of the six Awards Categories, the Technical Panel of Judges selected the three top scoring entries for this prestigious list.

“We are thrilled to be showcasing excellence in city greening from cities around the world,” said Tim Briercliffe, AIPH Secretary General. “As we reach this very exciting milestone, AIPH is confident that the first ever AIPH World Green City Awards is a resounding success, leaving a legacy that will shine through in future editions. Congratulations to each and every one of the shortlisted cities. We proudly celebrate this amazing achievement with you.”

The 2022 AIPH World Green City Awards Shortlist of entries per category is proudly announced as follows:

Living Green for Biodiversity

Addressing the loss of species, habitats, ecosystem health, and genetic diversity

Reverdecer Bogotá, Bogota D.C., Colombia

Act Local, Contribute Global to World Biodiversity Conservation, Town of Victoria Park, Australia

Ville de Paris- DEVE, City of Paris, France

Living Green for Climate Change

Tackling the root causes and effects of climate change to build more liveable and resilient cities

Peynircioglu Stream Ecological Restoration Project, City of Izmir, Turkey

Grey to Green, City of Melbourne, Australia

Mexico City’s Environmental and Climate Change Program, Mexico City, Mexico

Living Green for Health and Wellbeing

Addressing the medical, behavioural, and social determinants of health for residents

Transforming degraded land into Urban Micro Parks, City of Fortaleza, Brazil

Utrecht Green and Healthy City, City of Utrecht, Netherlands

Sunvale Community Park, City of Brimbank, Australia

Living Green for Water

Ensuring that water resources are safeguarded and wisely used, with clean water available to all while also protecting residents from flooding risks

The Phytotechnology Stations at the Montréal Botanical Garden / Space for Life, City of Montreal, Canada

Creating a Green City, Logan City Council, Australia

uMhlathuze Water Stewardship Partnership, City of uMhlathuze, South Africa

Living Green for Social Cohesion

Fostering belonging, trust and inter-generational as well as cross-cultural relationships to prevent exclusion, marginalisation and violence

Socio-urban integration in the midst of an ecological reserve: The case of Rodrigo Bueno, City of Buenos Aires, Argentina

Sunchoenman Bay Wetland Conservation Project, Suncheon City, South Korea

OASIS Schoolyard Project, City of Paris, France

Living Green for Economic Recovery and Inclusive Growth

Creating systems and solutions that allow all city residents to overcome economic distress and thrive

The 2020-2030 Master Plan for the Conservation, Improvement and Development of Parc Jean-Drapeau, City of Montreal, Canada

Transformation of “Beltway to Green Belt”, City of Mashhad, Iran

Green Necklace to the State of Telangana, City of Hyderabad, India


The shortlist of entries is presented on behalf of the Technical Panel by the six Category Leads to the 2022 Awards Jury who will identify one winner for each category, as well as the overall AIPH World Green City Awards 2022 winner.

“After reviewing the submissions for the AIPH World Green City Awards 2022, I was amazed at not only the commitment to building green cities but the creativity and expression of local culture that was at the core of the submissions,” said Grant Pearsall, Urban Ecological Planner, Edmonton, Canada (Technical Panel member).

In addition to selecting the shortlist, the Technical Panel has made non-category-specific nominations to be considered by the Jury for Highly Commended Awards. These Highly Commended Awards are given to city entries that did not score highly enough to make the shortlist, but which demonstrate a particularly innovative and inspiring approach.

“The spread of very different entries is an indication of the wide range of initiatives, with plants at their heart, that are addressing the multiple challenges cities face due to climate change and the ecological emergency. This initiative by AIPH encourages cities to demonstrate the range of innovative urban nature-based solutions that are possible,” commented Marcus Grant, Editor-in-Chief, Cities & Health (Technical Panel Category Lead, Health and Wellbeing)

Each eligible entry was assessed and scored by members of the Technical Panel against the following judging criteria:

  • Vision: the initiative should be bold and include a fresh new model for using and/or delivering nature-orientated solution(s).
  • Significance: the initiative should be designed to address a serious local problem or set of problems.
  • Implementation: the initiative should have achieved or be well on its way to achieving its stated objective(s) and/or desirable outcomes.
  • Learning and Transferability: the initiative should have generated some learning content or mechanisms that enable enhanced local practice in the future and/or offer potential for customised replication in other cities.
  • Resilience: The initiative should be mindful of its impact on the planet and of its ability to be sustained over time.

‘To create a healthy and happy urban life we need to include plants and nature in our cities. The 2022 entries for the AIPH World Green City Awards show that cities are taking action to showcase the value of living green. This is truly an inspiration for many other cities,’ said Judith van der Poel, Director, Niek Roozen Landscape (Technical Panel member)

To learn more about the exciting initiatives by the shortlisted cities, click here.

“The AIPH Awards program is an important initiative to recognize outstanding worldwide contributors and projects that are transforming our world into a greener and healthier place,” added Michael von Hausen, President, MVH Urban Planning & Design Inc., Adjunct Prof., Simon Fraser University + University of Vancouver Island (Technical Panel member)

Looking ahead, AIPH will profile city entries as case studies to inspire other cities around the world to take action for plants and nature. AIPH celebrates each and every city entry as a leader in urban greening, and a champion of the green city principles.

All winners will be announced at a gala event in September/October 2022. The date and venue for this event will be announced soon. AIPH and partners will also launch the 2024 edition of the World Green City Awards at this gala event. To stay in the loop and receive further news about the AIPH World Green City Awards direct to your inbox, subscribe to the AIPH Global Green City Update here.

AIPH is grateful to the network of partners for their ongoing support for the AIPH World Green City Awards – Biophilic Cities, Cities & Health, CitiesWithNature, European Federation of Green Roof & Green Wall Associations (EFB), The Global Taskforce of Local and Regional Governments (GTF), Greener Spaces Better Places, #NatureForAll, Salzburg Global Seminar, The Nature of Cities (TNoC), Trees for Cities, United Cities and Local Governments (UCLG), Urban Biodiversity Hub (UBHub), Urban Land Institute, World Urban Parks, Youth Climate Leaders, and 8 80 Cities. Thank you also to sponsor Expo 2021 Hatay and media partners Cities Today, FloraCulture International, and Host City.

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