This European Capital is the World’s Greenest City

It’s official: Helsinki, Finland is the world’s greenest city, according to a report by the Global Destination Sustainability Movement. Their GDS-Index ranks the top 40 cities in the world, according to its own rigorous criteria, which stand out as leaders of sustainability that are moving toward regeneration. Only seven of the cities listed are beyond Europe’s borders.

Nordic countries are well represented: Finland, Norway, and Sweden each appear twice, the  Faroe Islands and Iceland each appear once, and Denmark claims seven spots. While France and Ireland also have multiple entries on the list, Nordic countries took over the top five slots.

Insight Vacations proudly offers tours to many of the most sustainable cities in the world, including Europe’s greenest cities that top the GDS-Index.

How the “World’s Greenest Cities” are ranked

The GDS-Index assesses a city’s formal tourism bodies, including city, regional, and national tourism boards, to identify which are supporting and progressing sustainable practices. These organizations are evaluated on their efforts and effectiveness across suppliers, social progress, environmental performance, and destination management. 

In an age where greenwashing is prevalent and often difficult for tourists to identify, the GDS-Index is a resource travellers can use to help make conscious decisions that have far-reaching impacts. The cities on this list see sustainability as more than a trend: they acknowledge that it’s a small step on the path to meaningful regenerative travel. 

Sustainability should be celebrated as much as possible, no matter how small or large. Though there’s always more we can do as global citizens, one way to aid in these efforts is to travel to the world’s most sustainable cities, observe how these societies integrate sustainable practices into everyday life, and engage with the people, wildlife, and landscape as responsibly as possible.

1. Helsinki, Finland: officially the world’s greenest city

Helsinki is all smiles when it comes to sustainability and such an attitude may have a deep connection to its GDS-Index. Finland topped The World Happiness Report for its seventh year in a row (Nordic neighbors Sweden, Iceland, Denmark, and Norway also made the top seven). Fins cite high standards of living and a deep connection with nature with their overall lifestyle satisfaction. 

Over 90% of the city’s energy is generated from clean or low-carbon sources. Helsinki’s strategy to top the list of sustainable indexes around the world is aided by its Climate Action Plan for Tourism and Events which puts both local and visitor travel in the spotlight.

The Northern Lights of Scandinavia 10-day tour introduces you to the world’s greenest city. Walk through Helsinki — or rely on its sustainable public transit options like the emission-free light rail — and see how many sustainable practices you can notice. Then, venture across the Arctic Circle into Finnish Lapland in search of the Northern Lights during your stay at Aurora Village, the first destination in Lapland to secure a Green Key award.

2. Copenhagen, Denmark

Copenhagen leads fellow Danish cities Aarhus, Aalborg, Middelfart, Svendborg, Horsens, and Odense among the GDS-Index’s most sustainable cities. On the Northern Capitals, A Women-Only Tour, travelers can take a private boat tour through Copenhagen’s canals. After exploring the city by boat and on foot, settle in for a sustainable meal at Cofoco. This Make Travel Matter experience explains how the restaurant’s minimal food waste philosophy advances United Nations Sustainable Development Goals 7 & 12: Affordable and Clean Energy & Responsible Consumption and Production. 

6. Bordeaux, France

Bordeaux’s tourism board has eight commitments for sustainable development and three-quarters of the city’s famous wine industry has adopted a certified environmental approach. With eco-conscious wine varieties ranging from sustainably-produced to biodynamic, Bordeaux’s winegrowing represents over 25% of the High Environmental Value wines in France. Savor these wines on our Mediterranean Journey 17-day tour. A tour of Barcelona. Another GDS-Index city, joins visits to Monaco, Florence, and Vatican City on this six-country excursion. 

9. Belfast, Northern Ireland

Although Belfast’s commitment to becoming a carbon neutral city has a 2050 deadline, Northern Ireland’s capital is not taking its time. Belfast is the only UK entry in the GDS-Index top ten. The Country Roads of Ireland tour ends in Belfast. Throughout this 12-day tour, you’ll also visit Trinity College in Dublin, Salthill Prom in Galway, and St. Finbarr religious settlement in Cork — three of the six Irish cities that are also among the world’s greenest cities.

12. Glasgow, Scotland

Glasgow’s goal of becoming net-zero carbon by 2030 seems entirely attainable. Between 2010 and 2020, the Scottish city achieved its target to reduce carbon emissions by 30%. You can visit the only city in Great Britain appearing on the GDS-Index’s top forty list on the Best of Britain tour. Glasgow is the midway point in this nine-day tour which also includes a visit to Edinburgh Castle and an educational guided walk through Dartmoor National Park.

13. Zurich, Switzerland

Zurich is well on its way to climate neutrality by 2040. Its Urban Trees Plan aims to increase shaded areas within the city from 17% to 25%. The city is also taking on air pollution and noise pollution to foster a healthy urban environment. During the Country Roads of Switzerland tour, you’ll enjoy authentic Swiss dining and a guided tour in Zurich. You’ll also cruise Lake Geneva and ride the Glacier Express on this two-week tour. 

14. Bilbao, Spain

Since 2019, Bilbao’s put a strong focus on tightening its waste management practices and transitioning to renewable energy sources. Travelers on our Northern Spain tour can focus on Espana’s popular attractions that have sustainability literally built into their history. See the Guggenheim Museum, which was certified for ISO 14001 in 2004 and adopted the goals of the United Nations General Assembly’s 2030 Agenda. 

On this 11-day tour, you’ll also enjoy other eco-conscious activities like a farm-to-table Make Travel Matter dining experience in Gijón that supports the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 12: Responsible Consumption and Production.

20. Paris, France

Paris is an important inclusion on the GDS-Index. Despite being one of the most visited cities in the world, it still prevails as one of the greenest European cities on this list. Between 2014 and 2018 alone, Paris increased its biodiversity by planting 30 hectares of green space across the city and reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 20%. 

See the new parks and gardens throughout the City of Light during a foodie walk on the Highlights of Europe seven-country tour. After seeing Neuschwanstein Castle in Germany and the Colosseum in Rome, spend time on your own in Paris seeking out sustainable restaurants like La Table de Colette, which prioritizes eco-responsibility in every aspect.