Around 1,500 people have signed up to back Bristol’s bid to be Europe’s green capital – and the Bristol Green Capital Partnership is asking for more businesses and individuals to pledge their ahead of the decision next month.
Bristol is going head to head against Copenhagen and Frankfurt for the 2014 title. The city council and backers are now working around the clock on the final bid presentation, which will be presented to a jury of experts in Brussels on June 8. Their decision will be announced on June 29.
The 1,500 figure has been reached in just three weeks since the supporters page of the Bristol Green Capital website went live.
Bristol Green Capital Partnership manager Darren Hall said: “Showing that we’ve got the people of Bristol behind us really could make all the difference in helping Bristol be named European Green Capital for 2014.
“We are really pleased that people outside of Bristol are supporting us too – it would be great for Bristol to win on behalf of the UK. We’d like as many people as possible to sign up to support the bid, and to ask all their friends to do so as well.
“It would be a great accolade for the city and raise our profile in Europe. Other winning cities have seen substantial boosts to tourism and business – we would like to do the same. It will also give us the opportunity to showcase and share the amazing grass roots work that is going on here.”
Among the business backers is Dr Andrew Garrad, president of Bristol-based GL Garrad Hassan. “We are the world’s biggest renewable energy consultancy with offices in 25 countries and we employ about 1,000 people – so I see a lot of greenery at industrial scale! Bristol is the natural base for us because Bristol is the centre of green industry in the UK – in a way it is already the Green Capital. On a smaller scale we are the proud owners of Bristol’s biggest bike shed with room for 200 cycles. 75% of our staff come to work either by foot, bike or public transport.
“The Green Capital should consider its behaviour and its initiatives at all scales: industrial, public and private. Although there is of course a lot more to do, Bristol seems to have all three qualifications and I very much hope our bid is successful.”
Bristol City Council leader Barbara Janke added: “To have got this far in this prestigious competition against strong competition from capital cities such as Paris and Vienna is a real achievement for Bristol.
“The fact that the technical expert assessment ranks us second overall shows that we are entering the final in a very strong position. We will go to Brussels with a really excellent story to tell about our successes on the environmental agenda over a number of years through the actions of the council, green groups and the city’s residents. We shall definitely go with a view to winning.”
Bristol Business News is supporting Bristol’s bid. To pledge support for the bid, go to www.bristolgreencapital.org/support
