IMT-GT GREEN CITY AWARD

Recognising Leadership in Sustainable Urban Development across Indonesia-Malaysia-Thailand Growth Triangle local, provincial, national, regional and international priorities.

About the Award

The IMT-GT Green City Award recognises cities that demonstrate excellence, innovation, and sustained commitment in advancing greener, more inclusive, and climate-resilient urban development.

The Award is established with the strong support of the IMT-GT Ministers, as a platform to showcase achievements, inspire wider adoption, and promote deeper cross-border collaboration through the exchange best practices and replication of successful models.

Aligned with the IMT-GT Vision 2036, the Sustainable Urban Development Framework (SUDF), ASEAN sustainable urbanisation priorities and the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), the Award benchmarks progress, facilitates knowledge exchange, and strengthens city-to-city cooperation across the IMT-GT subregion. Cities are recognised not only for their outcomes, but also for their leadership in advancing collaborative, scalable, and impactful urban sustainability solutions across borders.

The Award recognises outstanding city-led initiatives across seven key areas:

Sustainable Transport and Low-Carbon Mobility
Sustainable Energy Transition
Solid Waste Management
Urban Biodiversity and Ecosystem Management
Circular Economy and Resource Efficiency
Carbon and Climate Governance (Carbon Literacy)

Education for Sustainable Development

Eligibility

Eligible applicants are cities, municipalities, and local authorities located within the IMT-GT subregion, specifically:

Indonesia: cities/municipalities in the 10 provinces of Sumatra
Malaysia: cities/municipalities in the 11 states of Peninsular Malaysia
Thailand: cities/municipalities in the 14 southern provinces

Each eligible city/municipality may submit multiple applications, with one application per award category only.

To be eligible, applicants must:

Have implemented the submitted initiative for at least three (3) consecutive years, and
Demonstrate that the initiative remains active and has measurable outcomes.

Evaluation Criteria

Award submissions will be evaluated by an independent, multidisciplinary panel of experts with experience in sustainable urban development.

Each application will be assessed based on a two-tier framework comprising Technical Indicators and five Core Criteria. Please refer to the Summary Guide for details.

Core Criteria

Applications will be assessed based on:

Impact

Measures the city’s achievements, progress, and tangible outcomes in implementing the SUDF. This includes contributions to economic vitality, urban prosperity, green development, safety, resilience, and capacity building.

Sustainability

Assesses long-term strategies and institutionalisation of sustainable practices, including medium- to long-term plans, people-centred approaches, and sustainable financing mechanisms.

Innovation

Evaluates novel practices, technologies, or methods in policy, planning, or financing that support sustainable urban development and SUDF objectives.

Scalability and Adaptability

Assesses the potential for replication, adoption, or scaling of initiatives by other IMT-GT cities, including cross-border collaboration potential.

Governance and Participation

Evaluates the level of participation and inclusiveness in planning and implementation, including engagement with citizens, NGOs, and the private sector.

Benefits and Recognition

All recognised cities will receive: