top 15 most environmentally sustainable cities in the world
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T H E T O P
15 MOSTENVIRONMENTALLYSUSTAINABLE CITIES
I N T H E W O R L D
15 BirminghamU N I T E D K I N G D O M
Birmingham’s score reflects the credentials of the city’snatural environment and amenities, including its limitedexposure to natural catastrophes, such as flooding andearthquakes. Low levels of pollution and access to cleandrinking water also contribute to it’s rating.
14 ManchesterU N I T E D K I N G D O M
The “Manchester 2020 Strategic Plan” outlines a clear focuson sustainability that is being actively worked towards.Reduction in the city’s detrimental environmental impact, indevelopment as well as other areas, and the installment ofenvironmental KPI measurement, have also helped secureManchester’s ranking.
13 CopenhagenD E N M A R K
Copenhagen is a city by the sea with water running throughthe old canals, with lakes, beaches, and harbour baths. Soit’s no surprise that it ranks high in sustainabilityassessments. Long known for its addiction to clean healthycycling, Copenhagen’s most ambitious urban planningproject so far is the development of the city’s Nordhavndistrict.
12 SingaporeS I N G A P O R E
Singapore has set an ambitious goal to make at least 80% ofall buildings ‘green’ by 2030 as part of a concerted push tocreate a vibrant and high-quality living environment, that isresilient and supports the broader climate change agenda.Additional resiliency investment is also underway, including a‘close the loop’ water strategy.
11 MadridS P A I N
Madrid’s ranking is the result of being among the top citiesin the categories of CO2 emissions, energy, mobility andwaste management. On the other hand, measures toenhance greenspace areas (which have increased over 30%in the last 9 years) have also considerably helped theirranking.
10 HamburgG E R M A N Y
Hamburg has spent decades working to improve the qualityof life for its residents while shrinking its ecological footprint.Over the last 20 years, these changes have been manifestedin a variety of ways, including alterations in transportationinfrastructure, sustaining greenspaces within the city,building codes and innovations for greater efficiency, andpromotion of individual behavior changes to supportsustainability.
9 LondonU N I T E D K I N G D O M
Programs such as the “2020 Vision” to make London ‘TheGreatest City on Earth’ has improved it’s ranking over recentyears. A solid commitment to improving environmentalperformance of the city through low emission buses,environmental clean-up programs, and expansion of urbantree canopy cover; have all aided it’s ranking.
8 SydneyA U S T R A L I A
Sydney’s ranking is reflected by it’s abundance of greenspace and the quality of its air, drinking water, andsanitation. The Sustainable Sydney 2030 initiative hasambitious targets to reduce the city’s carbon emissions by70%, reflected in its performance against the greenhousegas emissions indicator.
7 RomeI T A L Y
Rome is pushing initiatives designed to reduce carbonemissions with respect to air pollution and climate change.They also incorporate green initiatives into economic policy,including “greening” the tax code, expanding environment-related markets, and investing in green technology. Rome isalso hosting the 2017 International Conference onSustainable Development.
6 WellingtonN E W Z E A L A N D
Initiatives such as the “Sustainable DevelopmentProgramme” have put Wellington’s “green growth” higheron the priority list. They also continuously strengthen thesustainability components of their urban growth plan. Aclear goal to create resilient and liveable cities has securedWellington’s ranking.
5 FrankfurtG E R M A N Y
“Green City Frankfurt” (as the city refers to itself) has a longtrack record of proactively taking action to improve itssustainability. Recognized as the European City of Trees in2014 – not only is every tree registered and monitored, theinformation is also publicly available online. Frankfurters alsoenjoy Germany’s largest urban forest with more than 8,000hectares, meaning one third of the city is under canopycover.
4 ViennaA U S T R I A
Moving around Vienna on foot is a particularly pleasant wayof sightseeing and understanding why the city is the fourthmost environmentally sustainable city in the world. Betweenit’s parks on the Ringstrasse to urban green spaces such asthe Augarten, more than half of the metropolitan area ismade up of green space.
3 GenevaS W I T Z E R L A N D
As the home of the UN Center for InternationalEnvironmental Law, Geneva sets an example in promotingclimate neutrality. There are far fewer cars in the city centerthan most urban areas, since driving is actively discouragedto cut pollution. Buses and trams run on green energy, andall major roads are required to have bicycle paths.
2 StockholmS W E D E N
Stockholm’s environmental program includes sustainableenergy use, in addition to sustainable use of land and water.Their vision is to be an attractive and growing city, where theneeds of people and nature complement each other in anenvironment characterized by functionality, quality andbiological diversity.
1 ZurichS W I T Z E R L A N D
Zurich is known for its strong focus on the environment,having put environmental protection as an integral part ofshaping a sustainable city. The city’s support for privateinitiatives and projects that contribute to enhancingsustainability has also helped encourage it’s citizens andbusinesses to take part in shaping what is currently the mostsustainable city in the world.
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