Sustainable Cities: Measurements and Lessons

Sustainability is a growing global priority. Although there is a clear desire for a more sustainable future, the world needs immediate action. One way we can investigate which sustainable practices are working and identify potential growth opportunities is by examining the most sustainable cities in the world. 

Worldwide urban growth means increased resource consumption. Cities pose many problems from resource overconsumption to pollution, but they also offer hopeful innovations. Regular efforts are being made to go green, from citizens to policy changes. Currently, 55 percent of the global population lives in urban environments, with projected growth to 68 percent by 2050.  With this level of growth, “moving towards sustainable cities is vital to our health as well as the future of the planet.” 

To discover more about Sustainable Cities, read Brooke Cupelli’s in-depth article, “Sustainable Cities: How are they measured and what can we learn?”

What is a sustainable city? 

A sustainable city (also known as a green city) is a city that collectively works to foster the health, well-being, and growth of the inhabitants and the natural environment. The sustainable city meets the needs of present citizens while planning for the future. Typically, green cities have policies regarding renewable energy, carbon emission reduction, and more. Sustainability applies to individual buildings and neighbourhoods, then broadens to the city and its periphery. 

Measuring the sustainability practices of a city: 

There are no defined global parameters used to measure a city’s sustainability practices. Many studies have similar assessment criteria. The criteria are generally all-encompassing, using a holistic interdisciplinary approach. The assessment of government policies, paired with community practices and current infrastructure all determine whether a city is ‘green.’ The ‘greenness’ of a city exists on a multifaceted spectrum.

Although there is no broadly acknowledged ranking system to determine the most sustainable city in the world, there are many lists, with overlapping data, revealing commonly high-ranking cities. The list(s) can never remain fully accurate, as there is constant flux and no standard parameters. Although not standardized, a system known as the Siemens Green City Index (GCI) is often used to measure a city's sustainability. The initial GCI identified 8 key categories of: 

• CO2

• Energy

• Buildings

• Transport

• Waste & land use 

• Water 

• Air quality 

• Environmental governance 

These eight categories comprise 30 points of evaluation, consisting of 16 quantitative indicators and 14 qualitative indicators.

After cross-referencing published lists of the most sustainable cities in the world, some of the most environmentally conscious cities are:

• Vancouver, Canada: 

• London, United Kingdom 

• Lahti, Finland

• Copenhagen, Denmark

• Oslo, Norway

• Stockholm, Sweden 

These cities hold many innovative solutions, putting policy into action. All of these cities have extensive green transportation opportunities. Copenhagen has a notable 230 miles of bike lanes. London’s access to free drinking water fountains across the city dispenses an equivalent amount of water to 1.4 million single-use plastic bottles. Vancouver is designed and “driven by eco-density, [meaning] more vertical development and less urban sprawl.” Oslo was the first city in the world to have a climate budget and is on its way to climate neutrality by 2030. Of all major cities in Europe, Stockholm has the best air quality. And finally, Lahti is the first country in the world to pilot an app for personal carbon-trading for residents, incentivizing the use of alternative green transportation. 

Further takeaways: 

• Cities like San Francisco (USA), Sydney (AUS) and Singapore (SGP) were on two lists (not as frequently as those listed above, when looking at global studies).

• The cities with multiple mentions ranged in population from just over 121 thousand people (Lahti) to just under 9 million people (London), with the average city on the list ranging from 1 to 2 million people. 

• There is a substantial presence of European cities on this list.

• European cities outrank much of the world in their ability to enact sustainability practices into their cities.

• Alongside policy, there must be opportunities for bringing nature into cities, investing in urban societal resilience, and incentivizing citizen participation.  

• Culture is a key component of a successful, sustainable city. 

Many positive changes are happening globally, however, this is not enough. Effective action must be consistently taken across areas of opportunity, one being furthering sustainable cities. Achieving greener cities is a crucial step in the global management of climate change.