Amsterdam, Netherlands: Known for its extensive bike paths, over 60% of residents rely on cycling for daily transportation, significantly reducing carbon emissions.
Copenhagen, Denmark: Aiming to be the world’s first carbon-neutral capital by 2025, Copenhagen has invested heavily in wind energy, generating over 40% of its electricity from renewable sources.
Stockholm, Sweden: The first city to be awarded the title of European Green Capital in 2010, Stockholm has an extensive public transit system and aims for 100% renewable energy by 2040.
San Francisco, Italy: Renowned for its impressive waste management system, San Francisco has achieved a diversion rate of over 80% by focusing on recycling and composting initiatives.
- Reykjavik, Iceland: Powered by geothermal energy, Reykjavik utilizes this renewable resource for 90% of its heating and 30% of its electricity, resulting in one of the world’s lowest carbon footprints.
Greener, greener still… Here are the greenest European cities of all; yes, there’s Italy, too.
Space for the green in our cities, or better yet at the green… And don’t be frightened by this little British quirk, after all, today we all use Anglicized vocabulary, but more importantly, today we all know this word. From lovers of four wheels, and motors in general, to fashion enthusiasts, but also the professions: architects, engineers, bricklayers, taxi drivers and so on. Among trees, clean air and engines at zero emissions, everyone today is dealing with green, especially the cities European. So here are the cities of the old continent more greens of planet; and yes, there are also cities Italian…
Being green today is a real (and great) necessity
From gold fever to green fever. In recent years, the theme of theenvironment has become the subject of much attention, and especially here in Europe, where the governments of various countries have tried, and are trying (at least in words) to take any measure to improve the situation. In short, the air is polluted, and perhaps not only that; and here we need a solution immediate. And here it is ready… Electric motors for cars, from 2035, surely the decision that has caused the most discussion, and then a whole other set of new rules that aim to put the health of nature. But apart from these “slogan laws,” there are then some measures that have passed into the background, but that perhaps have (much) more importance than the better known ones. And among these we find precisely the intention to want to return our cities to green, that is, to green; but in the true sense of the word eh…
Yes, because in this case there is no chromatic reference to the word “ecology“, as for example are the new generation full-electric cars. Here the color is really there, and it shows; but more importantly, it has been seen by the European Environment Agency, which flew over the skies of Europe and was able to ascertain which are the greenest cities on the old continent. In fact, theeuropean environment agency has carried out a study rather practical; indeed, even “optical.” To draw up the ranking of Europe’s greenest cities, therefore, made revelations from the other to note the percentages of tree-covered areas of major capitals European.
These revelations from the European Environment Agency started in 2018, and they brought out a rather interesting picture. Interesting not so much because of the top positions, those are rather trivial actually, but what happens toward the bottom of the top ten, well, that one is unexpected to say the least. And who would have thought that Rome…
They are the green lungs of the continent, and also the capital Italian, perhaps (or certainly) with some surprise, has managed to carve out its own little place in these major European cities champions of ecology, placing eighth. Yes, the top positions are contested mainly by the northern capitals. After all, it was already known. With Oslo (Norway) winning the gold medal of Europe’s greenest city; and even this first position seems almost a given, so it cannot even be considered a spoiler. But what are all the other cities featured?
Oslo, the great green lung of the old continent
So, this is no surprise. Oslo in this special ranking is in the very first place. In fact, the Norwegian capital can even boast the 72% of green area throughout the city, a city of 702,543 inhabitants (2022 figure) and with a total area of 454 km².
Bern, Switzerland’s green is also regaining ground.
Second place for the Swiss capital city of Bern. Again there is a bit of surprise, especially we compare with an old ranking dated 2020 (but not prepared by the European Environment Agency). Be that as it may, according to this study, the city’s 54% By greenery, nature and trees.
Ljubjana, even for Eastern Europe, green is serious business
Norway, Switzerland and Slovenia. This closes the triangle of Europe’s greenest cities. The podium is finished by the capital Ljubjana which divides its area (again according to the European Environment Agency) perfectly in half, with the 50% Dedicated to the green.
Berlin, from post-modern icon the German capital could become a green icon
Yes, there is also the Germany in this ranking, and it was not so obvious. In fact, when you think of Berlin one hardly thinks of its greenness, despite the great Schlosspark of Charlottenburg Castle, but rather to its postmodern monuments, or historical sites. Yet, Berlin has 44% green on its surface.
Madrid, Spain is taking many steps toward going green, and its capital dictates the pace
Fifth place goes to Madrid, the capital Spanish, which announced as early as 2020 that it would initiate a series of changes (or perhaps improvements) regarding the issue of the environment in the city. How? Allocating more space to green the creation of 600 hectares of parkland with the goal of having 170 thousand tons of CO2 absorbed through the new lung. At present, according to estimates by the European Environment Agency, the city has the 39% of green surface area.
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