In a bid to tackle air pollution and cut greenhouse gas emissions, many cities across Europe are rolling out plans to encourage people to ditch fossil-fuelled cars and choose public transport, or switch to cycling or walking instead. People are demanding that their cities change for the better.
But which cities are leading the way? Is air quality improving? And what can cities learn from each other? Greenpeace Germany has released a new report, together with the German Wuppertal Institute, which sets out to answer these questions. The full study ranks 13 of Europe’s largest cities on how they’re doing when it comes to tackling toxic air and switching to clean transport. Copenhagen, Amsterdam and Oslo top the list.
The survey looked at the modes of transport used (walking, cycling, public transport or car), traffic safety and smart mobility. The researchers used existing data and interviewed the traffic and transport departments of the municipalities concerned.
“Safe roads and clean air go hand-in-hand. 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,” said Barbara Stoll, a Greenpeace Clean Air Campaigner.
Source: Greenpeace