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United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres delivers a speech during the opening ceremony of the Lisbon European Green Capital 2020 in Lisbon, Portugal, on Jan. 11, 2020. After receiving 2020's European Green Capital Award in June 2018, the Portuguese capital city of Lisbon on Saturday officially launched its transition towards a sustainable future program funded by the award granted by the European Union (EU). (Photo by Pedro Fiuza/Xinhua)

LISBON, Jan. 11 (Xinhua) -- After receiving 2020's European Green Capital Award in June 2018, the Portuguese capital city of Lisbon on Saturday officially launched its transition towards a sustainable future program funded by the award granted by the European Union (EU).

In his opening speech, Portuguese President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa praised Portuguese government's action for a sustainable environment and the role of the UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres in combating climate change.

"Lisbon opens the way, Portugal follows the way, Europe supports the way, Antonio Guterres takes the universal witness further along the way. We are together and we will win," exclaimed Rebelo de Sousa.

The UN chief and Portuguese Prime Minister Antonio Costa also attended the opening ceremony.

According to the European Commission, the European Green Capital Award is given annually with the aim of recognizing the efforts of cities with a plan to become environmentally friendly and involving their people in environmental, social and economic sustainability.