The Arcadis Sustainable Cities Index is an innovative report that evaluates the sustainability efforts of 100 cities worldwide. It ranks their performance across four core pillars: planet, people, profit, and progress. This year, the new “progress” pillar has been introduced to track transformative change and assess the impact of each city’s sustainability initiatives. And the great news for us is that Amsterdam tops the 2024 Index! Once again, we are very proud of our city!
Amsterdam: Most Sustainable City In 2024 Ranking
Arcadis is a leading global design & consultancy organization for natural and built assets. Their 2024 Sustainable City Index marks the 6th edition of the report since its inception in 2015. It comprises 67 metrics to highlight our evolving understanding of urban sustainability.
This year’s report also arrives with just under 2,000 days left to reach the 2030 deadline for achieving the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). It highlights stark disparities between top sustainable cities like Amsterdam (1st), Copenhagen (3rd), and Munich (5th), and those lagging behind, notably American hubs such as New York (48th), Boston (56th), and Asian metropolises like Taipei (62nd).
Amsterdam leads the 2024 Sustainable Cities Index, ranking high across the four pillars. Sixth in Planet, 42nd in People, first in Profit, and 11th in the new Progress category. This shows how cities can keep making sustainable improvements regardless of their overall rank.
Amsterdam’s success is driven by its Climate Neutral 2050 Roadmap, aiming to cut carbon emissions by 95% compared to 1990 levels. This plan focuses on reducing energy use and emissions in key areas like buildings, transportation, power, and industry, urging everyone to pitch in to meet these goals. The city’s strong economic performance and social equity also helped to secure this top spot.
Here are the top 10 cities in the ranking:
1- Amsterdam
2- Rotterdam
3- Copenhagen
4- Frankfurt
5- Munich
6- Oslo
7- Hamburg
8- Berlin
9- Warsaw
10- London
Finally, as we can see, European cities lead the pack in the 2024 Sustainable City Index. Notably, two Dutch cities and all four German cities assessed secure spots in the top 10, showcasing their advancements in water sanitation, waste management, and low greenhouse gas emissions. This highlights Europe’s forefront position in urban sustainability efforts, serving as a model for cities globally striving to achieve similar success. Way to go!
You can download the full report here.
