We are sure there are plenty of you out there who will disagree, but National Geographic listed Edinburgh over the weekend as one of five forward-thinking cities in Europe.
The others were Lyon, Budapest, Lahti in Finland and Lisbon.
According to the research that National Geographic based their findings on it is our air quality, recycling efficiency and green space that they like. They mention that we have 112 parks and more trees per head than anywhere else in the UK. They are also impressed with Edinburgh St James which was due to open in autumn 2020, but which will be undoubtedly delayed. It was not the building or the design which impressed, but the way that 99% of the construction waste has been diverted away from landfill, that engineering students were given on-site work experience and that 80% of the workforce was recruited locally.
Council Leader Adam McVey said: “Edinburgh has always been a forward-thinking city and we take pride in our rich built and cultural heritage with a reputation for innovation and creativity, as recognised by the National Geographic. With the most Green Flag parks in Scotland, a plan to become the country’s next Million Tree City and an ambitious Low Emission Zone scheme in development, we’re working hard to create a cleaner, greener and more liveable city for future generations.
“This, paired with pioneering plans to transform transport and mobility to prioritise cycling, walking and public transport as well as encouraging sustainable development and increased recycling rates across Edinburgh’s population, will be crucial to our ambition of achieving carbon neutrality by 2030.”
Founding Editor of The Edinburgh Reporter.
Edinburgh-born multimedia journalist and iPhoneographer.
