Vilnius hosted a meeting of partners from Spain, Sweden, Italy, and Lithuania participating in the international LIFE GreenMe5 project. The meeting was dedicated not only to reviewing the progress of the project's activities but also to learning firsthand about Vilnius's environmental initiatives and solutions aimed at creating a more sustainable, resilient, and biodiversity-friendly urban environment.
On the first day of the meeting, the project partners visited the Vilnius Wastewater Treatment Plant, where they learned about the city's water and wastewater management infrastructure and the practical solutions being implemented. The visit provided an opportunity to see how the city's environmental objectives are being realized in the area of water management.
In the second part of the day, the partners visited Pavilniai Regional Park, where various initiatives related to biodiversity and ecological connectivity were presented. Participants learned about fish migration routes, amphibian corridors, and the Belmont Dam and Pūčkoriai outcrop areas. These initiatives demonstrate how Nature-based Solutions (NbS) can be applied in urban environments, strengthening ecosystem resilience and protecting biodiversity.
The meeting also paid special attention to the objectives of the Green City Accord (GCA) and its implementation in cities. The project meetings, held in different municipalities, are structured around themes and practical visits covering the five areas of the agreement: air quality, water, nature and biodiversity, circular economy and waste, and noise.
This approach allows partners not only to exchange experiences, but also to learn firsthand how different cities are tackling common environmental challenges.
The second day focused on project implementation. Discussions covered the management and monitoring of GreenMe5, promoting the application of the Green City Accord, pilot activities, intercity cooperation, communication, and the sustainability, dissemination, and transferability of the project's results to other municipalities.
The meeting held in Vilnius provided a new opportunity for GreenMe5 partners to exchange practical experiences, learn from each other and strengthen their cooperation towards greener European cities.
The visits and discussions demonstrated that environmental action in cities encompasses numerous areas, from water infrastructure to nature-based solutions and biodiversity conservation. They also highlighted how integrating these efforts contributes to the shared goal of the Green City Accord: creating healthier and more sustainable cities.
