Dublin ranks 21st out of 30 cities in Siemens European Green Cities Index

 

Dublin ranks 21st out of 30 European cities in a report launched today by Siemens which measures the current environmental performance of Europe's major cities across 30 indicators.

 

Ireland rates well in the air quality category, where it ranks fourth overall but with poor showings in other categories including transport (30th), buildings (24th) and carbon dioxide emissions (19th) pull down its average. Nordic cities dominate the top tier of the index. Copenhagen leads the index overall, coming marginally ahead of Stockhholm, while in third place Oslo rounds out a trio Scandinaivian cities at the top of the table.

 

The index scores cities across eight key categories:

• Overall 21st

• Air Quality 4th

• Waste & Land Use 13th

• Water 16th (joint)

• Energy 18th

• CO2 19th

• Environmental Governance 21st (joint)

• Buildings 24th

• Transport 30th

 

The study provides context with individual city profiles that explain the challenges, strengths and weaknesses of each city and highlight emerging best practice and innovative ideas. According to Dr. Werner Kruckow, CEO, Siemens Limited "It is increasingly clear that the battle for environmental sustainability will be won or lost in our cities. The report results for Dublin City are stark, particularly in transport, however the technologies which are available today can help dramatically improve our environmental performance and ultimately help us to reach our emissions targets, save the Exchequer money and help create significant jobs. It is also encouraging to see that a number of initiatives which were recently established are already bearing fruit in terms of environmental improvements and which will no doubt increase Dublin's ranking in subsequent analyses. The breadth and depth of the initiatives that are underway or planned for Dublin City in this area are very promising."

 

The Siemens European Green City Index report was compiled by the Economist Intelligence Unit in co-operation with Siemens. It measures and rates the environmental performance of 30 European cities across 30 individual indicators, from environmental governance and water consumption to waste management and greenhouse gas emissions. 16 of the Index's 30 indicators are derived from quantitative data and aim to measure how a city is currently performing e.g. levels of air pollution. The remaining 14 indicators are qualitative assessments of cities aspirations or ambitions e.g. their commitment to consuming more renewable energy.

 

There was a strong correlation between wealth and a high overall ranking on the Index. 9 out of the top 10 cities in the Index have a GDP per head of more than €31,000. However some punch above their weight within individual sub-categories e.g. Vilnius leads the air quality category. The report states that Dublin stands to benefit from various nationally driven environmental proposals but progress is likely to be dented by the severe impact of the global economic crisis, which will almost certainly result in funding cuts on various initiatives.

 

Dublin City Highlighted Findings:

• CO2 emissions − The city produces 97.2 tonnes of CO2 emissions per head, nearly twice the 30-city average of 5.2 tonnes. However, it performs well on CO2 emissions per unit of GDP, which at about 88 grams per euro, is far better than the aver of 356 grams.

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• Energy − A Report states that Dubliners consume a staggering 156 gigajoules of energy per year compared with a 30 city average of about 81 gigajoules.

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• Buildings − energy consumption of our residential buildings is 1281 megajoules per sq metre, far higher than the 30 city average of 909 megajoules.

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• Transport − Less than one in five people take public transport to work, about half the average of 42%, whereas nearly 61% use private cars.

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• Water − The city's residents each consume about 128 cubic metres of water per year, substantially above the 30-city average of 105 cubic metres.

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• Waste & Land use − Dublin ranked 13th in the category helped by a strong score in the waste recycling and reuse sub-category. 28% of waste is recycled, above the 30-city average of nearly 18%. However it creates 656kg per inhabitant per year, well above the average of 511kg (excl industrial waste).

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• Air Quality − Dublin ranks 4th place – its best score in the Index. Air quality has improved dramatically over the past two decades because of changes in national legislation that took place in the late 1980s including elimination of leaded petrol and ban on coal.

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• Environmental Governance − Dublin is ranked joint 21st with Athens in this category. Dublin City Council's plans are outlined in the form of its Climate Change Strategy 2008-2012 which sets out the city’s core objectives for combating rising emissions.

 

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