The newest report „LIVING. MOVING. BREATHING. Ranking of European Cities in Sustainable Transport”, carried out for Greenpeace by Germany's Wuppertal Institute, ranks 13 European capitals based on factors ranging from air quality to the affordability of public transport and the use of car-sharing services. This study shows that when you improve a city's public transport infrastructure in a sustainable way, people breathe cleaner air and their roads are safer.

The study's top three cities Copenhagen, Amsterdam and Oslo won plaudits for their high use of public transport, clearly marked and safe cycling and walking paths and cleaner than average air. Oslo was singled out for praise for closing its city centre to cars, and Copenhagen ranked first when it came to new mobility services like car-sharing and using smartphone apps to navigate public transport.

The authors said that "Top-ranking cities kept in mind the needs of pedestrians, cyclists and other road users while planning," and "cars do not dominate the design, but are just another user of the space."

Copenhagen (1 st. place overall rank)

Air quality: 2nd place (tied)

Public transport: 8th place

Safety for cyclists and pedestrians: 1st place (tied)

Amsterdam (2 st. place overall rank)

Air quality: 6th place (tied)

Public transport: 13th place

Safety for cyclists and pedestrians: 1st place (tied)

Oslo (3rd. place overall rank)

Air quality: 1st place

Public transport: 10th place

Safety for cyclists and pedestrians: 1st place

Source: www.greenpeace.de 

Photo by Katarzyna Szota