Skip to main content

Copenhagen hailed as most ‘vital’ city in new study

Copenhagen has been hailed as the most ‘vital’ city in a new study as a result of its strong sustainability, cycling and mobility credentials. The Future Spaces Foundation’s study, Vital Cities: Transport Systems Scorecard, an interactive data hub, awards connectivity ratings to twelve cities across the world. The research looks at key factors that make cities thrive, for example breathability, bike and foot networks, use of data and apps, ranking each city based on its performance across more than 30
May 11, 2016 Read time: 2 mins
Copenhagen has been hailed as the most ‘vital’ city in a new study as a result of its strong sustainability, cycling and mobility credentials.

The Future Spaces Foundation’s study, Vital Cities: Transport Systems Scorecard, an interactive data hub, awards connectivity ratings to twelve cities across the world.

The research looks at key factors that make cities thrive, for example breathability, bike and foot networks, use of data and apps, ranking each city based on its performance across more than 30 individual measures. Based on a mix of qualitative assessments, such as the strength of electric vehicle policies and hard data, such as the density of transit networks, the scorecard aggregates each individual score to award an overall A-F grade.

The Foundation undertook the research in order to assess how transport infrastructure can facilitate vitality within high density cities; as well as to identify how improved connectivity can allow for sustainable growth for future generations.

The chosen 12 cities were grouped into four categories; Global Cities (London, New York, Hong Kong); Mega Cities (Beijing, Mumbai, Sao Paulo); Green Cities (Copenhagen, Singapore, Vancouver); and Car Cities (Dubai, Houston, Kuala Lumpur).

Whilst no city scored a perfect A+ overall, Copenhagen, with its first-class record for sustainability, safety and mobility, topped the scorecard with an impressive B+ score. Long-term investment and an ability to adapt to the ever-growing consumer demand for real-time information with innovative data policies helped Global Cities to gain pace with Copenhagen.

In the meantime, Car Cities lagged behind the rest due to their poor efforts to curb car use and promote vehicle-sharing, walking and cycling, all receiving a D or D- grade overall.

As Mega Cities continue to boom, propelled by industrialisation and mass migration from rural areas, low incomes and rapidly rising populations proved to be particular challenges to improving networks and ensuring that basic infrastructure meets demands in these cities.

However, innovative new uses of data and apps to improve connectivity in a cost-effective way are helping these cities to gain pace with global competitors.

Related Content

  • November 13, 2024
    ITS Australia Awards 2025 finalists announced

    ITS Australia has announced 32 finalists for the 15th Annual ITS Australia Awards, with winners announced at a ceremony on 13 February 2025 in Perth, Western Australia.

  • September 19, 2014
    Public transport key to climate change, says report
    A new report, released in advance of United Nations Secretary-General’s Climate Summit on 23 September, claims that more than US$100 trillion in cumulative public and private spending could be saved and 1,700 megatons of annual carbon dioxide (CO2) - a 40 percent reduction of urban passenger transport emissions - could be eliminated by 2050 if the world expands public transportation, walking and cycling in cities. The report, A Global High Shift Scenario, from the Institute for Transportation Development
  • September 9, 2014
    World Congress rewards outstanding ITS
    Tradition dictates that the ITS World Congress is the setting for a variety of award presentations, and 2014 is no exception. During the glittering 2014 ITS World Congress opening ceremony the first of a series of awards was presented with São Paulo’s Municipal Department of Transport receiving the MobiPrize Enterprising City/State Award.
  • February 25, 2020
    New mobility + public transport = sustainability
    Cities can introduce all the clever new mobility solutions they like – but if they are not linked to public transportation they will not be environmentally friendly, according to new research.