Discover the World's Top 10 Sustainable Cities and Their Green Features

Today, more than half of the world's population (56%) lives in urban areas and cities, and the proportion is expected to increase to 68% by 2050. To answer the need for growing city population, the urbanized land area around the world needs to be doubled or even tripled by that time. 

This rapid growth will, of course, create opportunities for everyone. However, it will also bring serious social, economic, and environmental challenges. Urban planners must take sustainable actions and develop cities that support sustainable infrastructure. Even though it sounds contradictory, it is more sustainable for people to settle in urban areas to preserve natural environments and limit the borders of human settlements. 

On the other hand, urban areas carry significant importance for the economy, generating more than 80% of the global GDP. However, there is a big but behind their global GDP contributions as cities also consume most of the world's energy. Therefore, building sustainable cities and focusing on environmentally conscious urban planning is necessary. After figuring out how to tackle these challenges and manage growth well, urbanization can contribute to sustainable development through increased productivity and innovation.

Fortunately, there's a global effort to build new cities with sustainability in mind, and urban planners all around the globe are working on developing innovative ways to overcome the challenges they face to achieve sustainability. In this article, you'll learn about the characteristics of sustainable cities' and find out about 10 of the world's most sustainable cities.

What makes a city green? 

There is no single solution that can be applied to all cities across the globe to make them green, making the response a complex one. The answer is actually hidden in the cities' issues, needs, and opportunities. However, the end goal is always to reduce global emissions by employing solutions from sustainable public transportation, reusing and recycling policies,  waste and energy systems to urban farming. 

Developing sustainable cities is related to more than just environmental targets. Urban planners should involve other aspects of sustainability in their plans, such as job opportunities, health, education, safety, and quality of life. There may not be a one size fits all solution to sustainability, but the following general characteristics of green cities can be used as a guide:

• Low Emission Transportation: Public transport is one of the most significant examples of environmentally friendly transportation options. However, you need an efficient public transport system to discourage people from jumping in their cars. An efficient public transportation system involves strategies to provide city-wide, affordable public transportation access to all residents. Other infrastructures also contribute to low-emission modes of traveling within a city, such as sidewalks to increase walkability, and bike-friendly road infrastructure, such as bike paths to make roads safer for cyclists. The same goes for infrastructure for electric cars, as these will lead people to change their transportation habits towards more sustainable options. 

• Sustainable Architecture: Sustainable architecture refers to buildings incorporating various aspects of sustainability into their design, construction, and operation. There are multiple ways to integrate sustainability in architecture, including solar panels, enhanced ventilation and insulation, energy-efficient lighting, and heating systems.

• Clean Energy: Cities consume tons of energy, so any steps towards cleaner and more sustainable energy sources make more of a difference on a grander scale than you think. Clean ways to generate energy in a city include expensive renewable energy sources such as geothermal and hydroelectric. However, some more affordable and applicable options remain, including opting for local timber and incorporating solar panels into building design.

• Waste Management: Cities need a recycling program to regulate and minimize their contribution to landfills. Apart from recycling, composting is another waste management strategy and a great way to create a healthier environment. 

• Urban Farming: Urban farming is one of the newest trends in sustainable cities and a fantastic way to utilize building rooftops, making the city greener and more sustainable. Other benefits urban farming offers include improved air quality and ample pollination. 

What are the world's 10 Most Sustainable Cities?

There are several indexes for sustainable cities you can find on the internet. Here, we gather some of the cities that have held a place in several sustainable city indexes over the years with their upcoming sustainability targets. You can read about the most striking sustainability features and approaches these cities deploy that earned them a place among the world's most sustainable cities.

1. Oslo, Norway

Oslo is one of the most sustainable cities in the world. To be exact, it was the most sustainable city in the Sustainable Cities Index 2022. The most significant share behind this ranking undoubtedly is Norway's focus on renewable energy. Norway produces the most renewable energy of any country in Europe thanks to its vast hydroelectric supply. As the capital, Oslo has the fascinating infrastructure to use that energy sustainably, including electric trams, electric and biofuel-powered buses, and ferries. Renewable energy constitutes around 60% of the city's total energy consumption. In addition, Oslo can also be considered the EV capital of Europe, with the impressive incentives the Norwegian government offers its citizens. Oslo is aiming to become carbon neutral by 2030 with these significant applications through its public transportation system and commitment to renewable energy.

2. Tokyo, Japan

Tokyo aims to reach net-zero emissions by 2050 and emphasizes its vision for digital and advanced technologies to achieve these. The city utilizes some of these technologies to expand the use of next-generation micromobility. Micromobility refers to the use of vehicles that are more compact than cars, which helps reduce emissions and increase the quality of life by reducing congestion and noise. With the expansion of micromobility practices, Tokyo aims to reduce its motorized transportation usage to zero from only 10% in the upcoming years. 

3. San Francisco

San Francisco is one of the world's greenest cities and is a leader in waste reduction. The city is strongly committed to renewable energy, requiring solar panels on all new buildings of ten floors or less since 2016. San Francisco can be considered a trendsetter regarding sustainability within the US as the first city to prohibit plastic bags and implement reusable containers, compostable bags, and bags made from recycled material. San Francisco's sustainability efforts include its Eat Local movement, which started in 2011. 

4. Berlin, Germany

Berlin is home to over 2,500 parks and one million trees. Still, most importantly, it also houses start-ups dedicated to safeguarding the environment and promoting air quality, such as Green City Solution. With these initiatives, Berlin has set a goal of becoming climate neutral by 2050, working towards a more sustainable public transportation system, and increasing the usage of renewable energy to reduce emissions. 

5.  Amsterdam, The Netherlands

Amsterdam's fame with easily bikeable roads is not for nothing, it is a leading city in sustainable transportation. With the easily accessible bike paths and commitment to electric vehicles, the city aims to become carbon neutral by 2050. Becoming a circular economy is another 2050 target for Amsterdam which means only having recyclable and reusable items in circulation. 

Even though it is not Amsterdam-specific, the Netherlands is also known as the country with the best work-life balance. The quality of lifestyle this offers the public makes Amsterdam one of the most sustainable cities. 

6. Copenhagen, Denmark

Like Amsterdam, Copenhagen is also famous for its extensive bike infrastructure and commitment to renewable energy. The city set the most ambitious goal for its sustainability efforts, which is to become the first city to achieve carbon neutrality by 2025. Even though it looks less likely for Copenhagen to hit the target, they have progressed incredibly towards it by eliminating more than 90,000 tonnes (t) of greenhouse gas emissions annually since 2019. 

Another thing that makes Copenhagen one of the most sustainable cities is its green spaces and incorporation of self-sufficient roof gardens into newly constructed buildings. 

7. Stockholm, Sweden

Stockholm is one of the most sustainable cities in the world, with its trains and buses running on 100% renewable energy since 2017. The target for Stockholm is to reach fossil-free marine traffic by 2030. 

Sweden is similar to the Netherlands regarding work-life balance, as the average employee spends more than 15 hours a day outside work. The country makes this happen by implementing flexible work schedules to increase productivity and lower working hours. 

8. Singapore

Singapore comes to mind with its giant Supertree Groves at Gardens by the Bay. Apart from being popular tourist attractions, these gardens are home to many species and increase the quality of life in the city center. Singapore also follows strict codes for its buildings to ensure all new structures are built for the tropical climate standard in sustainability. 

The country aims to become zero waste by 2030, and various initiatives are being implemented to make this happen. 

9. Paris, France

Paris has taken significant steps toward sustainability in the last few years, including building more than 900 miles of bicycle lanes around the city. To reduce pollution in such a buzzing capital, many roads will be closed to traffic starting in 2024, and from 2030, all diesel and petrol cars will be banned. The aim is to make Paris run on 100% electricity by 2025.

10. Seattle, Washington

Seattle is one of the most sustainable American cities that guarantees its green notion through several laws, including those regarding clean cars and buildings. These laws ensure the emission and energy performance of cars and buildings is controlled. For example, the Clean Car Law doesn't allow the driving of cars that couldn’t pass an emission test in the state of Washington for a year. Similarly, the Clean Building Law establishes the energy targets for nonresidential buildings passed, however, participation will be mandatory from 2026.

Building sustainable cities requires a lot of consideration and focuses on some unique characteristics, from rooftops and heating systems to energy types. Even though they need more effort than conventional cities, inclusive, resilient, competitive, and sustainable cities are essential for communities. With the growing understanding of green cities, urban planners can eliminate extreme poverty, improve living conditions, and create greener spaces at the local, regional, and national levels. All these efforts, in the end, will significantly contribute to the planet's future. If you want to explore sustainability more, check out the resources related to sustainable lifestyles, businesses, and trends on Intengine's website.

Tags: sustainable cities, green cities, urban planning, sustainable infrastructure, low emission transportation, sustainable architecture, clean energy, waste management, urban farming