Exeter and Bristol complete the top three positions in BNP Paribas Real Estate’s Next X Green Cities Index, which assesses sustainable lifestyle behaviours, local infrastructure, real estate environmental credentials, access to open space, and pollution and emissions.
Encouragingly, all sustainability indicators tracked have shown improvement in recent years, with UK renewable energy installations growing by 18.4% in 2023, and average local residual household waste in England decreasing by 6% in 2023, while local authority CO2 emissions per capita dropped by 6.5% to a record low in 2022.
Of the 61 major urban areas assessed, eight of the top 10 performers are situated in the south – with York being the only northern city – possibly due to fewer carbon-intensive industries and a higher prevalence of service-based businesses.
"However, local plans up and down the country are being re-drafted to incorporate encouraging policy targets and initiatives which should help towards evening the playing field," said Josh Arnold, associate director at BNP Paribas Real Estate.
“We are also seeing significant momentum from new towns, including Milton Keynes and Peterborough, which have benefitted from newer infrastructure, supporting metrics like average EPC ratings and renewable energy installations, as well as being designed with open space as a focal point."
The top 10 greenest cities in the ranking are shown below:
The list is dominated by smaller cities – other than Bristol – with an average population of just 262,970, often reflecting lower density living and generally better access to green space.
Access to open space plays a crucial role in Cambridge topping the ranking, which stands out for its protection and maintenance of city centre parks.
Cambridge is also second in the UK for commuter cycling, aided by ample bike parking, designated cycling lanes, bike-sharing schemes, and local initiatives from the university.
The city’s environmental commitment is reinforced by its Climate Change Strategy, with the goal of carbon neutrality by 2030, which has driven the integration of sustainability into urban development projects.
Exeter and Gloucester have seen the most significant improvement in their ranking over the last year, moving up from 6th to 2nd, and 16th to 9th, respectively.
However, challenges persist across the UK, especially when it comes to balancing growth and expansion with carbon neutrality, underscoring the need for innovation and efforts to achieve long-term sustainability.
“Local authority initiatives can spur significant change to cities in the drive for delivering more sustainable places to live and work,” said Donna Rourke, head of ESG and sustainability at BNP Paribas Real Estate.
“Cambridge and Bristol are great examples of the environmental success that can be achieved through localised action, whether it be focusing on greener transport initiatives, or through the delivery of more energy efficient property.”
Image credit: Shutterstock
Chris Seekings is the Deputy Editor of IEMA’s Transform magazine, which is published biomonthly for IEMA members. Chris’s role involves writing sustainability-related news, features and interviews, as well as helping to plan and manage the magazine’s other day-to-day activities.