According to the European Green City Index, which assesses 30 cities in 30 European countries that play a leading role in climate protection, Copenhagen is the greenest major city in Europe. It is followed by Stockholm, Oslo, Vienna and Amsterdam. This is the conclusion of a unique study of the environmental sustainability of 30 major cities in 30 European countries, which Siemens presented during the UN Climate Change Conference in Copenhagen.
As well as analysing these cities’ achievements and goals in environmental and climate protection, the European Green City Index makes the differences between them transparent. The study assessed 30 cities in eight categories: CO2 emissions, energy, buildings, transport, water, air quality, waste and land use, and environmental governance.
“We are supporting cities’ efforts to achieve effective climate protection by providing them with comprehensive, standardised data,” said Dr. Reinhold Achatz, head of Corporate Research and Technologies at Siemens AG’s central research unit. “Cities can use this study to prioritise their actions to reduce their carbon footprint.”
“Our analysis shows that European cities are leaders in environmental performance. In particular, almost all of the 30 cities – which are home to nearly 75 million people in total – have lower average CO2 emissions per capita than their countries’ EU averages,” said James Watson, Editor at the Economist Intelligence Unit and author of the study.
The best city in this category, Oslo, emits just 2.5 tonnes of CO2 per capita per year, far below the EU average of 8.5 tonnes. Almost all of the cities have already developed, and in part implemented, an environmental strategy. “However, all cities face serious challenges. For example, renewable energy currently accounts for only about 7% of these cities’ energy supply, which is well below the EU’s target of 20% for 2020,” Watson continued. In addition, the average share of waste that is recycled is less than 20%, while one in four litres of water is lost through leaks.
In general, the Scandinavian cities score highly. Environmental awareness has been cultivated in these cities for years, something that is also reflected in their ambitious climate targets. Copenhagen, for example, aims to be carbon neutral by 2025. In the Scandinavian countries, GDP per capita is above average, and these developed countries have invested significantly in environmental protection. By contrast, the cities of Eastern Europe generally score lower. This is largely due to relatively low gross national product and a historical legacy that includes a lack of attention to environmental protection in previous decades. More specifically, this is evident from the high energy consumption of buildings and the outdated infrastructure. In the area of public transport, however, Eastern European cities often score above average: Kiev, which ranks 30th in the index, is estimated to have the highest percentage of people using public transport to get around.
The scope of the European Green City Index is unique. The categories are based on 30 individual indicators – 16 quantitative (e.g. water and energy consumption per capita, recycling rates and use of public transport) and 14 qualitative (e.g. CO2 reduction targets, efficiency standards for buildings, and support for environmental protection measures). The Economist Intelligence Unit developed the index and wrote the report in cooperation with Siemens. “As far as possible, the study is based on data from official sources, such as municipal statistics departments and city authorities,” said Watson. The study also includes in-depth portraits of the cities, which reveal the strengths and weaknesses of each urban centre while highlighting initiatives and projects from which other cities can learn. “A key element of the study is the comparability of the results for each city – within the individual categories as well as in the overall assessment,” Watson added.
The European Green City Index is the third study so far in the Sustainable Urban Infrastructures series, following sustainability reports on London and Munich. “With this analysis, we are once again underlining our commitment to helping cities with their climate protection measures,” said Achatz. “After all, they play a very important role, as they are responsible for 80% of total greenhouse gas emissions, and more than half of the world’s population now lives in cities.”
Siemens’ environmental portfolio makes it an ideal partner for implementing environmentally friendly infrastructure solutions. In fiscal year 2009, the company earned around €23 billion from its products and solutions for climate protection. This corresponds to about 30% of its total annual revenue.
