CorpComms Magazine

Newcastle has earned the title of Britain's most sustainable city for the second year in a row in a survey released by sustainable development organisation Forum for the Future.

 

The index ranks the 20 largest cities in Britain on their performance in three areas: impact on the environment, based on factors such as air quality, biodiversity and household waste; citizens' quality of life, using the indicators employment, transport, education, health and green space; and future-proofing - how prepared the region is for upcoming challenges, be they economic, climactic, or those related to sourcing food and water.

 

The former industrial city famed for coals and Coles has developed a new reputation for its environmentally-friendly initiatives. Back in 2002, the Carbon Neutral Newcastle partnership set out an ambitious environmental agenda and many of its grand designs are now coming to fruition with the region becoming a hub for clean technology companies touting wind turbines, electric cars and clean coal, and 1,300 electric vehicle charging points being installed around the North East of England.

 

Leicester, Brighton and Bristol ranked second, third and fourth, with Leicester registering the best green performance and the two seaside cities scoring particularly highly for quality of life but losing points on environmental impact. London came in fifth with one of the biggest environmental footprints, though it has grand plans, boasting the best score for future-proofing. It has also improved steadily, rising from tenth place in 2007.

 

The gap between the top and bottom performers is widening, with cities such as Glasgow and Hull lingering in 19th and 20th places, unable to boost their green scores. Derby is also a new entrant onto the table having recently outgrown Wolverhampton, and taking 17th place.

 

The study highlighted the key challenge ahead: 'To succeed in the face of this bleak spending landscape, local authorities and city governments will have to deliver more for less. This means being smarter about how they run the services they provide to their citizens, whether it is effective environmental management schemes, better transportation or more efficient energy from diverse sources.'

 

Peter Madden, chief executive of Forum for the Future, said: 'Cities are having to count every penny so it's essential that they invest wisely for long-term success. Leaders like Newcastle and Leicester are developing plans to run services in smarter ways, tackle challenges like climate change and secure the jobs of the future.'

 

Barry Rowland, chief executive of Newcastle City Council, said: 'Sustainability is right at the top of our agenda, and we intend to keep it there.'