Two of the most prestigious universities in the world, Yale and Columbia, have compiled an index ranking cities from best to worst in terms of sustainability and Denmark has once again come out on top. 2022 marks the second year in a row that Denmark has topped the ratings.
The study ranks 180 countries across the world and one of Denmark’s strongest suits was its Climate Policy. the country ranked first for this, alongside its conservation of marine protected areas. It also ranked first for its control of SO2 pollutants, which is generally found in pesticides.
Additionally, the country is leading in its control of NOX, which is also a pollutant alongside the prevalence of acid rain in the country. Denmark’s wastewater treatment was also rated the best in the world and so was the presence (or lack thereof) of heavy metals that residents are exposed to, namely lead. It should be noted that several countries ranked first in these categories but ultimately Denmark came out on top overall.
India came in last, with Myanmar just ahead of it and Vietnam just ahead of Myanmar. In the second place, just behind Denmark, is the UK, followed by Finland and then Malta.
Of course, Denmark did not rank first in all of the categories and still has a long way to go in terms of sustainability. However, we’re very proud to say that Denmark is holding on to its title of the most sustainable country in the world and you can read the full report here.