A new study by Uswitch reveals which cities around the world are the most sustainable.
The study analyzed cities based on several factors which contributed to them being the most sustainable: Energy, transportation infrastructure, affordability, pollution, air quality, CO2 emissions, percentage of green space available.
Prague scores highly for the percentage of green space available
Prague has one of the highest scores for green space on the index (88.9%). Since 2018, Prague has implemented the Tree Planting Action Plan, an eight-year scheme to plant 1 million new trees. This helps the quality of existing wooded areas and reduce traffic noise in residential areas.
The city puts a lot of effort into their recycling as less than 10% of waste is sent to landfills. Other initiatives include citywide bio-waste collection and plan to reduce the total production of mixed city waste by at least half by 2030.
Prague is known for its cheap and easy-to-use public transport, and scores moderately on the index’s transport infrastructure (48%), the city has approved a Sustainable Mobility Plan that will ensure more sustainable transport in the city up to 2030.
This includes electric buses, refurbishments of trams, construction of park & rides, safer cycler routes in the city, and more eclectic charging points.
Canberra is the most sustainable city in the world
The capital of the land down under, Canberra, takes the top spot on our list. The capital has excellent public transport service, it offers 48% of its energy in sustainable ways while scoring one of the lowest scores (13.89) on the pollution index. Canberra relies heavily on solar power and nearby wind farms, ensuring that 94% of its residents have internet access to make this one connected city.
Top 10 most sustainable cities
Rank |
City |
Index Score |
1 |
Canberra, Australia |
427 |
2 |
Madrid, Spain |
403 |
3 |
Brisbane, Australia |
382 |
4 |
Dubai, United Arab Emirates |
375 |
5 |
Copenhagen, Denmark |
369 |
6 |
Frankfurt, Germany |
365 |
7 |
Hamburg, Germany |
364 |
8 |
Prague, Czech Republic |
359 |
9 |
Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates |
357 |
What makes these cities the most sustainable?
Less pollution
No level of pollution is safe, but studies reveal that air pollution is deadly and can lower life expectancy by 3 years. Wellington and Stockholm are some of the least polluted cities on the index, these cities have good air quality and are paving the way for a more sustainable future.
Sustainable energy
Sustainable energy has experienced a big push in recent years, as governments across the world look to cut down their carbon emissions. Despite being one of our least sustainable cities, Nairobi’s energy is 90.6% environmentally friendly, coming from hydroelectricity or geothermal energy.
Greenspace
It has been estimated that by 2050 68% of the population will live in cities, as they become more populated there is a rise in pollution levels. Cities such as Hong Kong, Singapore, Zurich and Vienna are some of the top cities with a percentage of green space available. Research reveals that having more green spaces in cities can lessen the effects of pollution can reduce the urban heat effect, which is generated by city lifestyle causing temperatures to rise by up to 4 degrees.
The first steps to becoming more sustainable begin in the home, it is important to consider how you can cut down your energy consumption:
- Switching your energy provider
- Turning off plugs when they are not in use
- Checking insulation in your loft
- Use a microwave to heat up your food instead of an oven
- Wash your clothes on 30-40°C
Will Owen, energy expert at Uswitch.com, commented: “Around the world, we’re becoming more aware of our environmental impact on the planet, and in recent years we’ve seen a clear increase in people actively trying to be more sustainable.
“However, where you live has a big impact on how easy it is to be green. Many cities around the world are committing to environmental change and making it easier for their residents to make greener choices in their lives. Our study has highlighted which cities are leading the way with sustainability, and which need to do more to improve their environmental impact.”
The full study can be found here.
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