The World’s Most Eco-Friendly Cities

In an effort to support sustainable tourism, eco-friendly living and nature conservation, TravelBird announced the results of its latest study, divulging what cities made the greatest strides in environmental conservation and sustainability. While some cities made great efforts in repairing and maintaining existing grassy spaces, others focused on producing greater quantities of manmade green spaces.

Coming in at No. 1, Reykjavik, Iceland, is reported by TravelBird to be the greenest city, with more than 400 square meters of green space per person. Nearly 10 percent of the city is covered in nature preserves, trails and wooded areas — ideal for hikers, runners, bikers and outdoorsy families alike.

Close behind at No. 2, Auckland, New Zealand, boasts a whopping 41.5 percent green space to city ratio, with more than 350 square meters of green space per person. With nearly half the city covered in greenery, Auckland is a top spot for nature lovers in a fun urban setting.

Bratislava, Slovakia. Photo: Tomas1111 | Dreamstime.com

Based on square meters per person, Bratislava, Slovakia, offers 41 percent of its land to natural green space and 333 square meters of individual space. Based on the same information focusing on square meters per person, Gothenburg, Sweden; Sydney, Australia; Prague, Czech Republic; Rome, Italy; Bern, Switzerland; Hamburg, Germany; and Riga, Latvia all fall close behind in the top 10 greenest cities.

Of course, in order to be “green,” cities have to do more than possess the greenest space per capita, they also have to keep up with the cleanliness of the space and protect wildlife, forested areas and the environment.

Families looking for the ultimate nature-lovers city, Prague actually boasts the greatest number of public gardens in addition to lush wooded areas, nature reserves and farmland.

On the opposite side of the study is Tokyo, Japan, with the smallest amount of green space per person. With less than 6 percent green space in the city, Tokyo has the lowest number of greenery with just 4 square meters of natural greenery per person.

Read more from the study, including the 15 best city parks, 15 best wooded areas and forests and highlights from the study. Keep these cities in mind next time you want to get away with the family in a locale with the most rural-meets-urban bang for your buck.