This Coastal City Was Just Named the 'Greenest' in the World-and It's an Eco-friendly Dream for Nature-loving Travelers

"A lot of factors go into calling a destination eco-friendly from farm-to-table restaurants to public transportation, recycling programs, and bicycle rentals, but some cities are greener than others. And in a recent study, Vancouver outshone the rest. The Canadian city came out on top thanks to its abundance of green space, great air quality, and use of renewable energy, according to the study by Reinders Corporation, a climate solutions company, that was shared with Travel + Leisure."

"With climate change and urban growth, understanding which cities excel in sustainability has never been more critical," Gerrit Jan Reinders, the company's CEO, said in a statement shared with T+L. "This study highlights where residents and travelers alike can benefit from cleaner air, abundant green spaces, and efficient transport systems, demonstrating that eco-friendly living and vibrant, modern city life can thrive together."

Vancouver ranks highest for urban sustainability due to abundant green space, excellent air quality, and high renewable energy use. Vancouver offers more than 1,200 square feet of green space per capita, used 98 percent renewable energy in 2022, recorded a public transportation efficiency rate of 58.1 out of 100, and had a bikeability rate of 50.3 out of 100. Six key indicators were used to assess cities: green spaces per capita, renewable energy share, low air pollution, public transportation efficiency, bikeability, and tourist tax presence. Oslo placed second and exceeded Vancouver on renewable energy, air quality, transportation efficiency, and bikeability. Stockholm, Munich, and Zurich completed the top five. San Francisco ranked eighth, with 226 square feet of green space per capita and a public transportation score of 68.4 out of 100.

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