Prizes and Awards

Environment, climate, nature protection, and sustainability

Prizes and awards since 2021

Year	Name/Title of award	Reason awarded	Awarded by
2021	Heidelberg is the first city in Germany to be awarded the "Kur- und Heilwald" (spa and healing forest) certificate in accordance with PEFC standards. The globally recognized PEFC ("Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification Systems") seal of quality was already awarded to Heidelberg twenty years ago for its sustainable forest management. In 2015, the certification as a "recreational forest" was added. This standard was extended to include "spa and healing forest".	The "Heilwald" certification refers to the forest area around the Heidelberg-Königstuhl rehabilitation clinic. The "Kurwald" certificate refers to the entire forest area of Heidelberg, which has already been designated as a "recreational forest". In the Heilwald, an active offer for preventive health care is to be further expanded, while the Kurwald is to provide a passive offer. This means that everyone can improve their own health there, for example on the Königstuhl walking route and at viewpoints to recharge their batteries.	PEFC ("Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification Systems") is the biggest institution for ensuring sustainable forest management through an independent certification system.
2021	Bicycle Climate Test 2020: Heidelberg once again ranks among the most bicycle-friendly cities nationwide.	Particularly positive aspects in Heidelberg were the supply of public rental bicycles, the bicycle transport on public transport, the many one-way streets open to cyclists, the good accessibility of the city center and that all generations ride bicycles.	Allgemeiner Deutscher Fahrrad-Club (German Bicycle Club)

Prizes and Awards from 2010 to 2020

Year	Name/Title of award	Reason awarded	Awarded by
2020	Model municipality in the project „Mutig voran beim Klimaschutz im Verkehr“ (Courageously ahead in climate protection in traffic).	Heidelberg received the award for a comprehensive climate protection package consisting of four areas: parking, commuter traffic, corporate mobility management, and the modified division and redesign of public spaces.	Kompetenznetz Klima Mobil
2020	Fairtrade Town	With successful projects, such as the annual fair week and the bio.regional.fair shopping guide for fair trade, Heidelberg is committed to a fairer world. Further projects are planned. The commitment is continuously expanding since 2010.	"Fairtrade Deutschland"
2020	Heidelberg is one of the 105 most successful pioneering cities for climate protection	Heidelberg is the only German city apart from Berlin to be named for the first time on the list of 105 pioneering cities that are making a results-oriented effort to protect the climate. The non-governmental organization CDP (Disclosure Insight Action) has collected the climate data of more than 850 cities from 2019, making it one of the most elaborate and comprehensive comparisons.	CDP
2019	Bildung für Nachhaltige Entwicklung (Education for Sustainable Development): Heidelberg again awarded	"Heidelberg is doing an outstanding job of structurally anchoring education for sustainable development (ESD) in Germany. The activities of the city of Heidelberg in the sense of education for sustainable development are based on long-established structures and cooperations. The local ESD network, which was founded as the 'Round Table ESD', shows through its increasing membership that there are more and more actors in Heidelberg who are active in the field of ESD. The opening of the administration to the urban society is also exemplary in Heidelberg."	UNESCO
2019	"Natürlich Heidelberg" honored as a project of the "UN Decade for Biological Diversity	"Natürlich Heidelberg" initiates, supports and bundles a wide variety of projects in order to offer children, teenagers, citizens and educational institutions a central point of contact. The principle of "from project to structure" is consistently pursued in order to systematically anchor Bildung für nachhaltige Entwicklung (Education for Sustainable Development) in the urban and educational landscape.	UN-Dekade Biologische Vielfalt (UN-Decade of Biodiversity)
2018	Award-Winning Project "Intelligent City Logistics Altstadt" in the Competition "Sustainable Urban Logistics"	Awarded for its innovative concept and contribution to climate protection and reduction of noise and pollution.	Federal Ministry of the Environment, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety and German Environment Agency (Umweltbundesamt)
2018	Guiding Star Energy Efficiency/ Leitstern Energieeffizienz	Heidelberg was awarded in the category county cooperative energy efficiency project. Heidelberg, along with the cities Mannheim and Ludwigshafen, engages and promotes sustainable mobility in urban areas.	Ministry of the Environment, Climate Protection and the Energy Sector Baden-Wuerttemberg
2018	UN Decade on Biodiversity Project	Since 23rd February 2018 the initiative "Urban NBS" is recognized as an official project of the UN Decade on Biodiversity. Heidelberg aims to sustain and strengthen plant- and wildlife in urban areas.	UN Decade of Biodiversity
2017	Forest Capital 2018	PEFC (Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification Systems) Germany is honouring the city for its ambitious programme of activities. Furthermore, Heidelberg is one of only seven cities in Germany with the PEFC certification "Recreational Forest".	PEFC Germany
2017	Education for Sustainable Development	Continuity and further development of work in the fields of education and sustainability	UNESCO
2016	Fairtrade Town	Exemplary commitment to fair trade	TransFair
2016	UNESCO Global Geopark	The Geo-Nature-Park "Bergstraße-Odenwald" is one of two "UNESCO Global Geoparks" in Baden-Wuerttemberg - there are a total of six in Germany and 120 worldwide. The "Global Geoparks" offer exceptional views into the history of earth, nature and culture. They provide for environmental education and strenghten the sustainable development of their region.	UNESCO
2015	Guiding Star Energy Efficiency/ Leitstern Energieeffizienz	Heidelberg was awarded in the category networking/communication. With its "master plan 100% climate protection” Heidelberg developed concepts to motivate the entire urban community for energy efficiency. A network supports professional exchange between craftsmen, architects, planners and consultants. It raises efficiency potentials and reduces frictional loss within the different fields.	Ministry of the Environment, Climate Protection and the Energy Sector Baden-Wuerttemberg
2015	Global Green City Award	The "Global Human Settlements Award" is an annual worldwide prize. It is focused on promoting the implementation of UN sustainable development objectives and the mission of the GFHS by encouraging the cities, enterprises and individuals who make contribution to human settlements and sustainable cities.	The organization "Global Forum on Human Settlements" and the United Nations Environment Programme
2015	„Recreational Forest“ Certification for Heidelberg’s city forest according to PEFC standards (PEFC = Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification Systems)	For the preservation and advancement of the city forest as a recreational area.	PEFC Germany
2015	Energy Community	Heidelberg, along with many different partners, engages and promotes the use of renewable energies.	Renewable Energies Agency
2014	Special Award „Best Urban District“ in the competition „Guiding Star Energy Efficiency“	Heidelberg has been excelling for years due to its compelling objectives and its Agency for Climate Protection and Energy Consultancy Heidelberg/Rhein-Neckar-Kreis (district) (KliBA).	Ministry of the Environment, Climate Protection and the Energy Sector Baden-Wuerttemberg
2014	Passive House Award for Heidelberg Bahnstadt	Example for the possibility to create comprehensive construction projects and entire cities in passive house standard	Passive House Institute
2012	Fairtrade Town	Exemplary commitment to fair trade	TransFair
2012	City of the UN Decade of Education for Sustainable Development	Continuation of current activities and planning of new initiatives	UNESCO
2011	Ranks 3 as “Capital of Fair Trade 2011”	Exemplary and innovative activities aimed at enhancing fair trade	Service Agency "Communities in One World" of the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ)
2011	Geotope of the Year 2011	Deposits of glacial loess at Haarlass	Bergstrasse-Odenwald Geopark supported by UNESCO
2010	3rd place "2010 Federal Capital of Climate Protection"	Outstanding climate protection: largest European passive house settlement in the future city district of "Bahnstadt", as well as numerous other projects as part of the Heidelberg climate protection campaign entitled "Climate is looking for protection in Heidelberg… also with you!"	Deutsche Umwelthilfe e.V. – DUH (German Environmental Aid Association)
2010	Fairtrade Town	Exemplary commitment to fair trade	TransFair

Prizes and Awards from 2000 to 2009

Year	Name/Title of award	Reason awarded	Awarded by
2009	City of the UN Decade of Education for Sustainable Development	Continuity and further development of work in the fields of education and sustainability	UNESCO
2007	Federal Capital for Nature Protection 2007	Heidelberg persuaded by its outstanding nature protection measures above all in the fields of species and biotope protection as well as committed public relations and environmental education.	Deutsche Umwelthilfe e.V. – DUH (German Environmental Aid Association)
2006	City of the UN Decade of Education for Sustainable Development	Continuity and further development of work in the fields of education and sustainability	UNESCO
2006	German Solar Award	Numerous activities in the field of renewable energies and climate protection	European Association for Renewable Energies (EUROSOLAR)
2005	Climate Protection Award	Outstanding commitment to climate protection	The international organization "Climate Group"
2003	European Sustainable City Award 2003	For outstanding work in the field of sustainability	European Commission
2003	Award for the project ‘Symposium on Local Agenda 21 and Schools’	For outstanding achievements in municipal environmental protection and Local Agenda 21	Baden-Wuerttemberg Ministry of Environment and Transport
2002	Climate Star 2002	For the work in the field of the promotion of regenerative energies (25 % of the electricity consumption in local government buildings are supplied by eco-electricity’)	Internationales Klimabündnis/Alianza del Clima e.V.(International Climate Alliance)
2001	Promotion Prize for Concrete Projects within Local Agenda 21	For the Project: ‘Colourful and Sustainable’	Baden-Wuerttemberg Ministry of Environment and Transport
2001	Green Electricity Gold Label	Prize for the promotion and use of renewable energies: ‘25% of the electricity consumption in local government buildings are supplied by eco-electricity’	Grüner Strom Label e.V.(registered association certifying green electricity)

Prizes and Awards from 1990 to 1999

Year	Name/Title of award	Reason awarded	Awarded by
1997	European Sustainable City Award 1997	European award for exemplary work in the field of sustainability	The Council of European Municipalities and Regions, Brussels
1997	‘Five Milestones on the Way to Climate Protection’	Prize for the persuasive and measure-oriented climate protection policy of the City of Heidelberg; awarded to 33 prize winners following an international competition	The International Council for Local Environment Initiatives (ICLEI)
1997	’Federal Award for Tourism and Environment’	Awarded in acknowledgement of, among other things, the ‘Guidelines on Tourism’, the project ‘Environment-Friendly Hotel andCatering Trade’, traffic-calming on the castle hill, citizens’ involvement, and environmental management in the field of tourism	Federal Ministry of Economic Affairs
1996/97	Federal Capital for Nature Conservation and Environmental Protection 1996/1997	Heidelberg as the winner of a national local authority competition organized by the Deutsche Umwelthilfe e.V. (German nature protection association) leads the way to a responsible environmental policy among the German cities and communities	Several German environmental protection associations (Deutsche Umwelthilfe e.V., BUND,NABU; GRÜNE LIGA, Landesbund für Vogelschutz in Bayern Stiftung Europäisches Naturerbe), Deutscher Städtetag (German Association of Cities and Towns) and Deutscher Städte- und Gemeindebund (German Association of Cities and Municipalities)