As part of the NALAS 21st General Assembly held in Sibiu, Romania, from 20 to 22 April, the 2026 Green Champions Award was organised, implemented under the Covenant of Mayors Office for South-East Europe and managed by NALAS.

On Monday 20 April, the NALAS General Assembly opened with the Green Champions Award Ceremony, celebrating outstanding green initiatives implemented by municipalities across South-East Europe.

This initiative recognises outstanding local green actions, promotes peer learning and regional exchange, showcases replicable solutions, and strengthens the visibility of local leadership in sustainability.

Three municipalities were awarded the Green Champions Award 2026, implemented under the Covenant of Mayors Office for South-East Europe and managed by NALAS.

Out of numerous high-quality applications, the evaluation committee selected three winning initiatives across different categories:

• Climate Action & Energy: City of Kragujevac, Serbia, for implementing a comprehensive programme that integrates energy efficiency, renewable energy, and air quality improvement measures.
  
  The initiative RENEW-KG focuses on improving energy efficiency and reducing air pollution through the renovation of public buildings, installation of solar panels on schools, replacement of heating systems, LED public lighting, and subsidies for households to switch to cleaner heating solutions. The programme also supports reforestation and the development of the city’s SECAP, contributing to long-term climate resilience and lower greenhouse gas emissions.

• Circular Economy: Bursa Metropolitan Municipality, Türkiye, for transforming an abandoned pepper-drying facility into a plant producing drip irrigation pipes from recycled plastic waste.
  
  The initiative combines sustainable agriculture and circular economy principles by producing pipes from municipal and agricultural plastic waste, distributing them free of charge to farmers, and collecting used pipes for recycling and reintroduction into production. This closed-loop model supports water efficiency, reduces plastic pollution, and strengthens local agricultural resilience.

• Green & Inclusive Urban Development: Municipality of Lezhë, Albania, for the rehabilitation of the Drin River basin, improving public spaces and enhancing urban greenery while promoting social inclusion and community engagement.
  
  Lezhë’s initiative focuses on the rehabilitation of the Drin River basin through the improvement of promenades, public gardens, pedestrian bridges, playgrounds, and sports areas. By creating safer, greener and more accessible public spaces, the municipality enhanced urban biodiversity, promoted sustainable mobility, strengthened social inclusion, and improved quality of life for residents, especially children, families, and vulnerable groups.

Moreover, the committee decided to grant a special award to the Marmara Municipalities Union in recognition of the outstanding green initiatives implemented across Turkish municipalities, developed and carried forward through the dedicated efforts of the municipalities.

Find more detailed project presentations and pictures here: