The Green Flag Award has grown into eight new countries in five years, and celebrated a 25% increase in award winners.
The ongoing growth reflects the huge success of the award in the UK nations, which has seen the programme grow from 1,833 winners in 2018 to 2,216 winners in 2023.
New countries recently flying the flag include the USA, Austria, France, the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia. Bringing the total outside of the UK up to 255 sites.
The United Arab Emirates now celebrates more Green Flag Award winners than any other country outside the British Isles with a huge 54 winners from multiple municipalities, including Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Al Dhafra and Al Ain. And in Saudi Arabia, two first time winners were announced in February this year: Al Ghat National Park, managed by the National Center for Vegetation Cover Development & Combating Desertification, and Waterfront Park, managed by the Royal Commission for Jubail and Yanbu.
Carl McClean, International Development Manager for the Green Flag Award said: “This is an historic moment for the growing public parks and green spaces sector in Saudi Arabia. It’s fantastic to be able to recognise these two very different parks with the Green Flag Award. Congratulations to everyone involved for all your hard work to manage and maintain these spaces for the communities that visit them.”
Europe saw 150 winners crowned in 2023, another increase on previous years. Whilst Austria saw it's first award winner recognised at Kurpark Warmbad. Ireland, Finland, Portugal and Germany all saw new applicants raise the flag.
The Presidio of San Francisco remains the only Green Flag Award winner in the USA. But several major cities have committed to applications in 2024, as well as plans being developed for a pilot launch of the programme in Canada. Mexico has pioneered the way however with 10 parks accredited last year via National Operator ANPR Mexico.
In Australia the award is under new guardianship, thanks to a partnership with green space specialists Xyst. Xyst already foresee growth in the country due to their strong network of parks professionals, including with first time winners in 2023 - Parks Victoria. Whilst in New Zealand the award is well established with 26 winners.
And the reach doesn't stop there. Green Flag Award were recently asked to advise on a major new project in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia, where the main city park is being refurbished by Rio Tinto. The developers wish to apply best practice Green Flag Award principles to the project, and plan to apply once the work is complete. During a visit in March our International Development Manager Carl McClean, and Green Flag Award judge Carina Gallacher met with UK Ambassador to Mongolia Fiona Blyth to discuss the support provide by the scheme.
The Green Flag Award is a non-profit international accreditation programme that recognises and rewards well managed parks and green spaces. Today the Green Flag Award proudly flies above more than 2,400 places in 17 countries around the world.
The programme is managed under licence from the UK Government by environmental Charity Keep Britain Tidy, and delivered internationally through a network of National Operators in several countries. See the website Network page for more information.
