Debrecen4U October 30, 2025

Debrecen’s achievements in sustainability were highlighted during the latest JövőMűhely discussion

Debrecen has made it to the TOP3 in the European Green Capital competition, meaning it has been included among the most sustainable and liveable cities on the continent. The results achieved so far were evaluated at the JövőMűhely (“Future Workshop”) podium discussion, and the experts also reviewed the direction in which the city’s sustainable development can continue.

Debrecen has been increasingly incorporating sustainability and a green approach into urban development in recent years.

The European Green Capital competition was built on the Green Codex, with the Civaqua program, the Environmental Monitoring System, and the afforestation program as its key elements. Thanks to its long-term strategy, the “cívis” city made it into the TOP3 in the competition. At the JövőMűhely roundtable discussion, experts evaluated the results achieved and also discussed the direction in which the green transition in Debrecen can continue. “Debrecen is both a smart and green city, and therefore it is very important that the technologies that science represents, even here at the University of Debrecen, are incorporated into the city’s operations. The Jövőműhely also has such a role, since here we also talk about the future, about how we can make this city more beautiful and better,” stated Deputy Mayor Ákos Balázs.

The aim of the professional forum was not only to present the programs behind the application but also to draw attention to the cooperation between the city and the university. Researchers from the higher education institution helped develop the concept in many areas, from air quality to water management, which played an important role in the city’s good results in the application. “Very serious preliminary planning and a very serious fusion and cooperation of the city government and the university leadership resulted in an all-encompassing and very complex program. The other thing is that it already had serious precedents. We did not present a plan, but we outlined a vision for the future based on serious precedents and results, and this won the judges’ approval,” highlighted László Stündl, Dean of the Faculty of Agriculture, Food Science, and Environmental Management of the University of Debrecen.

The participants emphasized that shaping attitudes is at least as important as specific investments. The goal is for Debrecen to continue to set an example in how development and sustainability can be coordinated—in the interest of a truly green future.

Source and photo credit:debrecen.hu