What are the ‘Greenest’ Cities in the UK?

The world is gradually moving towards embracing development agenda that is hinged on the need to protect the environment. Even as world leaders meet in Paris to make this happen, some cities across the world have made strides towards this end. Green cities are more than just about planting trees, embracing recycling, or reusing waste items. Rather, it is about governance structures, it is about making sustainable development decisions that are informed by a need to conserve the environment in every possible way. Below is a list of some of the greenest cities in the UK;

Newcastle; this city ranks as one of the greenest cities in the whole of the UK, beating cities such as London and Manchester. Local authorities have embraced recycling so much that they extend these services to flats and homes. In Newcastle, you’ll find chargers for electric cars and bikes located in almost every corner of the street. Newcastle’s annual carbon footprint of just 6.8 tonnes is considered to be relatively low.

Leicester; Leicester has planted over 10,000 trees since 2009. It has an effective and orderly public transport, very safe and attractive lanes for cyclists as well as for pedestrians.

Brighton; Brighton embraced green and eco friendly policies long before the world had discerned global warming. The city was the first in the whole of the UK, to elect a Green MP, Caroline Lucas. It is a low carbon economy, and businesses that have sprung up here have also embraced this trend.

Bristol; this is another green city, and it has plenty of green park spaces. Bristol’s council authorities plan to reduce the cities carbon emissions by up to 40% in the next decade.

London; London is the heart of the UK; it is home to 1/6 of the total population. For a world class City that is home to many companies and industries, London has made great strides in going green. From the ‘Boris bikes’, to constructing Superhighways for bikes, to the population embracing public transport; the city has clearly seen an improvement in its carbon emissions. Presently, 7 % more people are using the public transport, compared to last year. Lesser cars on the roads mean lesser carbon emissions.

Plymouth; this is a port city, and it too has made great strides towards going green. Plymouth boasts of one of the best, most effective recycling waste management programmes in the U.K.