Guimarães will host Energy Cities’ Annual Forum in 2026

The conference will bring together around 200 cities committed to innovative energy policies. The announcement was made this morning.

Guimarães will host the Annual Forum of Energy Cities – the European network of cities committed to the energy transition – in 2026. For the city of Guimarães, this decision is of particular significance, especially for the European Green Capital agenda, as the event will gather around 200 cities dedicated to implementing innovative energy policies. The announcement was made this morning during the organisation’s general assembly, held as part of this year’s forum taking place in Besançon, France.

Adelina Paula Pinto, Vice-President of the Guimarães City Council, attended the session and welcomed the decision, highlighting that “this will be just one of many major events that will further enrich the extensive programme of activities planned for Guimarães throughout 2026.”

Joaquim Carvalho, Municipal Director for Territorial Intervention, Environment and Climate Action, and responsible for the energy sector, recalled that Guimarães had already hosted this conference in 2012, the year it was the European Capital of Culture. According to him, the fact that the city has been chosen once again to host this event during the year it holds the title of European Green Capital represents “clear recognition by the institution of the city’s work and commitment in this field.”

Food at the Heart of the Sustainable Transition
In addition to participating in the general assembly, Adelina Paula Pinto was one of the invited speakers on the panel “Local Authorities as Agents of Change for a More Sustainable Food System,” held on Wednesday afternoon, aimed at presenting initiatives and sharing best practices on this topic.

During the session, the Guimarães representative emphasised that “food has been at the centre of the municipality’s sustainability policies through initiatives such as the Community Urban Gardens, which are being replicated across various locations in the municipality; the rural-based incubator; and the role that the Municipal Market has played in collaboration with local producers in reshaping the city’s food system. This was also one of the areas highlighted in Guimarães’ application for the European Green Capital title.”

Energy Cities: A Community of Cities Prepared for the Future
Energy Cities is a community of several hundred representatives of local authorities from 30 countries, bringing together public and private entities and experts involved in the energy transition. Founded in 1990, the organisation aims to support its member cities in achieving climate neutrality by 2050 through innovative solutions that facilitate the transition towards a sustainable future. It should be noted that Guimarães has been a member of the Energy Cities network since 2007.

Throughout this Annual Forum – which marks the 35th anniversary of Energy Cities – discussions have focused on the work carried out by the community, organisations, and cities involved, as well as on creating more connections and sharing experiences to accelerate the transformation towards a climate-neutral Europe.