Guimarães has once again been distinguished as a leading city with regard to transparency and environmental action. Based on data released in 2025, the municipality is included in the CDP’s A-list – Carbon Disclosure Project, a global non-profit environmental organization, for the third consecutive time. Guimarães was one of 120 cities worldwide and one of the five in Portugal – alongside Porto, Braga, Maia and Matosinhos – to achieve this score, the statement said.
According to the same source, in the year it holds the title of European Green Capital, Guimarães thus strengthens its commitment to promoting transparency and environmental disclosure, demonstrating the success of the Guimarães 2030 governance ecosystem and significant progress with respect to environmental resilience. At this point, emphasis on the disclosure of climate risks, needs and opportunities, investment in priority projects, and the presentation of replicable, high-impact solutions.
It should be noted that Guimarães received the “A” rating – the highest from CDP – standing out among a group of more than 700 cities that reported environmental data through the CDP-ICLEI Track in 2025. This audit was conducted by an independent commission, based on a set of rigorous parameters that measured the level and impact of the municipality’s public disclosure of environmental data.
To obtain this score, Guimarães also ensured the maintenance of a comprehensive emissions inventory across the city. In addition, the municipality already has a climate action plan – another CDP prerequisite – including a thorough assessment of climate risks and vulnerability, as well as a clear climate adaptation target that describes how to address current and future climate risks.
For Ricardo Araújo, president of the Municipal Chamber of Guimarães, “to once again lead in transparency and environmental action at a global level is a source of great pride. This CDP distinction once again validates the transparency and effectiveness of the municipal policies implemented. At a moment when the year of the European Green Capital has already begun, this recognition again shows that we are a model to follow, both nationally and internationally.”
The complete list of the CDP 2025 A-List cities, as well as the methodology and the full criteria are available here: https://cdp.net/pt/data/scores.
Guimarães European Green Capital 2026 kicked off last Friday
Guimarães began last Friday the year as European Green Capital 2026, with the day marked by the celebration of political commitments and strategic agreements, involving entities such as the Guimarães municipality, the European Investment Bank (EIB) and the European Commission. In the late afternoon, the Multiusos hosted a conference with the intervention of the Minister of the Environment, Maria da Graça Carvalho, who chairs the Guimarães 2026 Honorary Committee, accompanied by the mayor, Ricardo Araújo.
The cultural celebration was reserved for the evening, with the Multiusos hosting the show “Raízes do Futuro” (Roots of the Future), an artistic narrative with more than 170 participants that crossed memory, identity and ecological regeneration. Presented by Catarina Furtado and Vasco Palmeirim, the show brought together on stage Gisela João, Sofia Escobar and several local groups and institutions. Also on Saturday, 26 initiatives were held across the municipality to celebrate sustainability.
Recall that the Guimarães 26 – European Green Capital program contemplates more than 150 events, crossing political commitments, strategic agreements and cultural celebration. The city thus positions itself as a living laboratory for the green transition through sustainability initiatives, urban innovation and civic participation.
