Vitoria-Gasteiz, Spain is a beautiful, natureful city. In the 1980s, the city was facing extreme population increases, began sprawling, and was dealing with stormwater management challenges. Mayor Jose Angel Cuerda realized these challenges, and created the Environmental Studies Center (CEA) to conduct research and provide education on environment issues in the region. It was found that the region of Vitoria-Gasteiz has one of the highest biodiversity indices of the region, meaning it was important for the city to protect their nature.

Since the 1980s, Vitoria-Gasteiz has developed into a relatively compact, concentrically developed city with a  population of approximately 242,000. It is one of the few European cities boasting the largest proportion of green areas per inhabitant, with roughly 25 square meters per capita in 2012. Also in 2012, Vitoria-Gasteiz was named the European Green Capital.

Inner and outer green belts