According to a study performed by the Economist Intelligence Unit, sponsored by Siemen’s, Asia’s greenest city is Singapore.
The study, which assessed the environmental policies and operations of 22 Asian cities across 8 categories, found that Singapore was the only city in the region that scored consistently well for their procedures pertaining to energy and CO2; land use and buildings; transport; waste; water; sanitation; air quality and environmental governance.
The aim of the study is to identify best practices and utilize them to share ideas and improve conditions throughout the world. Commenting on the study, Barbara Kux, chief sustainability officer at Siemens said: “The battle against climate change will be decided in cities. This applies to Asia…more than anywhere else on earth. Only green cities will make life worth living over the long term.”
The ultimate goal of the study, said Siemens’ chief sustainability officer Barbara Kux at a press conference today, was to identify best practices from the Asian region and to stimulate idea sharing.
Commenting on Singapore’s higher than average scores, Kux revealed that it was Singapore’s clear commitment to sustainable development and their focus on areas pertaining to waste, water and energy efficiency that stood them out from the rest.
While Singapore was the only city in Asia that was scored as ‘well above average’, other cities that scored above average marks included Hong Kong, Osaka, Seoul, Taipei, Tokyo and Yokohama. On the other end of the scale Karachi was the only city in the region to be awarded a ‘well below average’ rating.
The study revealed some interesting information about trends and developments throughout Asia:
- The number of people living throughout Asia has increased by 37 million people each year for the last five years.
- Of the 22 cities featured within the study, not one scored satisfactory grades in the air quality category and, at 108 micrograms per cubic metre, the index’s average concentration of particulate matter currently stands at five times that of the recommended levels prescribed by the World Health Organization.
- Wealthier cities appear to be greener, with a strong correlation between GDP per capita and environmental performance.
- The need for strong environmental policies is being increasingly recognized in Asian countries and many cities now have very comprehensive guidelines in place.
Further information and the detailed results of the study can be found here: http://www.siemens.com/press/greencityindex
