By Hauwa Ali
The International Association of Horticultural Producers, AIPH, has 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.
Twenty-three multi-disciplinary experts from around the globe form the technical
panel for the inaugural AIPH World Green City Awards, comprised of leaders in
the global green city space whose expertise spans across the six award
categories.
“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 is according to the following
categories:
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
•Getting everyone involved in greening the city
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 was 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)
“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)
AIPH promises to profile city entries as case studies to inspire other cities around
the world to take action for plants and nature and celebrate 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 for
which the date and venue for this event is yet to be announced.
