Prosperity is no longer based on just economic measures, but on doing great things for people and the planet

Dutch engineers Arcadis recently released their 5th edition of the Arcadis Sustainable Cities Index. Following in-depth analysis of urban sustainability and improving quality of life for their populations, the 2022 index ranks 100 of the world’s cities based on 51 metrics across 26 indicators, themed under the three pillars of sustainability: planet, people, and profit. 

The Planet pillar investigates climate-related threats like energy usage and emissions. The People pillar looks at the quality of life with factors like inclusivity, safety, providing opportunities for work, and ease of access to transport and healthcare. As for the Profit pillar, environmental and economic performance is measured, considering aspects like per-capita GDP, ease of doing business, affordable housing, and other economic measures. 

Olso Opera House in Olso, Norway

Here are the top 20 cities:

1. Oslo, Norway
2. Stockholm, Sweden
3. Tokyo, Japan
4. Copenhagen, Denmark
5. Berlin, Germany
6. London, UK
7. Seattle, USA
8. Paris, France
9. San Francisco, USA
10. Amsterdam, Netherlands
11. Zurich, Switzerland
12. Rotterdam, Netherlands
13. Glasgow, Scotland
14. Los Angeles, USA
15. New York, USA
16. Frankfurt, Germany
17. Vancouver, Canada
18. Edinburgh, Scotland
19. Munich, Germany
20. Washington DC, USA

Rosenthaler Platz, Berlin, Germany

The top 20 most sustainable cities in the world are almost all found in either Europe or North America. Yet again, the Nordic region tops the rankings. Leading performances include Oslo, Stockholm, and Copenhagen. Just one Asian city enters the top 20—Tokyo. Norwegian capital Oslo is lauded for green spaces, a green public transportation system, clean air, and low energy usage. As for Stockholm, they have a healthy work-life balance, a good healthcare system, and social sustainability. And for Tokyo, we all know they have an awesome public transportation network, but also ranked well for low levels of crime.

Tokyo Tower, Tokyo, Japan

Take a look at the full report here.