Oxford has retained its position as the greenest city in England, according to an in-depth analysis of environmental data by ENDS Report, which places the city at the top of a ranking of the country’s 55 largest urban centres.
In ENDS’ Green Cities Index, England’s 55 primary urban areas are ranked according to more than 30 environmental factors grouped into five categories - public realm, green behaviour, air quality, climate and water quality.
Oxford finished ahead of Cambridge and Barnsley, as it did in 2023, although this year Cambridge jumped above Barnsley, last year’s second placed city, to claim the spot behind Oxford. Blackburn and Exeter complete a top five line up that extends geographically from Lancashire in the north to Devon in the south.
Oxford was ranked top of the index’s green behaviour category and also ranked highly on public realm. The data shows that it continues to have one of the highest recycling rates in the country and is among the top 10 cities with the closest access to public green space. It registered the largest proportion of adults who do any cycling or walking, for any purpose (at least five times per week). It has the sixth highest number of electric vehicle charging devices per 100,000 people and also recorded the second highest proportion of residents commuting to work by bike and the third highest travelling to work on foot.
In second position overall on the index, Cambridge, was also ranked second on green behaviour, helped in part by local residents making more environmentally friendly choices about the way they get to work. The city came top for the percentage of people commuting by bike and was among the top five for the percentage of residents travelling to work on foot. Cambridge also has the seventh highest number of electric vehicle charging devices per 100,000 people in England.
Barnsley, placed third in the index overall, was ranked top of the index’s public realm category. It has one of the highest proportions of land that is forest, open land and water, and also offers more accessible green space per capita than many of the other cities in the index. It was also among the top 10 cities ranked in terms of both air quality and water quality.
The Green Cities Index was created following an extensive data project, drawing on data at ‘primary urban area’ level - a measure of the ‘built-up’ area of a town or city, rather than individual local authority districts. More than 30 environmental indicators from external data points were compiled and weighted in order to provide a ranking of England’s greenest urban areas.
“Oxford has some wonderful green spaces, parks, meadows and rivers which we are determined to protect and enhance to the benefit of residents and visitors. Oxford has a strong history of taking innovative action to address climate change, making an impact not only locally, but also at the national and international levels. Through collaboration with major employers, community groups, and local residents, the council continues to lead the way in addressing the climate emergency."
Caroline Green, Chief Executive of Oxford City Council
“We are delighted to hear that Oxford has topped the Green Cities index again. This is the result of work done by many people and organisations – councils, universities, and so many voluntary organisations who have pushed for positive change and made it happen. We still have a very long way to go to being a truly green city, but this recognition is an important step on the way.”
Chris Church from Oxford Civic Society
Oxford’s position at the top of the index has also been welcomed by leading academics and environmental experts in the city.
“It is wonderful that Oxford has topped the rankings two years running. Indeed, Oxford is often world-leading on environmental issues. But Oxonians also have high aspirations. We can do better, for instance by improving dangerous cycle lanes, and by ending the exemptions that allow canal boats to belch out pollution into children's playgrounds, reducing life expectancy.
“So we can celebrate our leadership and at the same time recognise our responsibility to chart a course towards even better environmental outcomes.”
Professor Cameron Hepburn, Battcock professor of environmental economics at Smith School of Enterprise and the Environment, University of Oxford
“The city benefits from a profusion of enlightened efforts to improve the quality of the local environment for both people and planet.
“This ranges from pioneering work to decarbonise heat in old buildings, for example Oriel College replacing gas with air source heat pumps, through to the central university aiming to achieve net-zero carbon emissions and biodiversity net gain by 2035. The city council also wants to achieve net zero carbon emissions across the city as a whole by 2040. These different layers of activity, combined with Oxford being a world-leading cluster for climate-related research and entrepreneurship, means it is one of the most dynamic green cities in the world.”
Dr Ben Caldecott, director of the Oxford Sustainable Finance Group at the University of Oxford's Smith School of Enterprise and the Environment and director and principal investigator of the UK Centre for Greening Finance & Investment
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