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Europe's greenest city -

Located on the picturesque west coast of Sweden, the city of Gothenburg has topped the Global Destination Sustainability Index for three years in a row.

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Europe's greenest city -

In echo of this accolade, Sweden’s second largest city has now been awarded the 2020 European smart tourism award in sustainability.

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Europe's greenest city -

From rooftop vegetable gardens to swimming pool changing rooms made of recycled bottles, this beautiful Nordic city is brimming with sustainability measures. But this wasn’t always the case…

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History -

Gothenburg was founded by the Dutch in the 17th century as a trading colony. The territory grew increasingly important over the years as it developed into Sweden’s main harbor for trading westwards.

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History -

In the mid-1980s, the Swedish Minister of the Environment, Birgitta Dahl, visited the city and declared it a "courtyard to hell," on account of the decay and unsustainability she witnessed.

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History -

It was this visit that prompted political and business leaders to pull their socks up and transform the city into the haven of sustainability it is today.

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Inspiration -

The efforts of the sustainability team at the city’s tourism board, Goteborg & Co, are complemented by the influence of the world’s favorite teenage climate activist, Greta Thunberg.

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Inspiration -

According to Katarina Thorstensson, Head of Sustainability at the tourism board, Greta’s presence is important for "bringing courage to young people to raise their voice."

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Sustainability efforts -

Sustainability efforts are evident in the majority of industries in Gothenburg.

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Hotels -

All of the hotels in the city have environmental diplomas and must meet regional sustainability standards.

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Hotels -

Hotel Eggers sources its electricity from its own wind turbine, and the Clarion Hotel Post foregoes the use of plastic.

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Public transport -

Currently 65% of the city’s public transport runs on renewable energy, and there are plans to make this 100% by 2030.

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Public transport -

Visitors to the city have a number of options for getting around. Firstly they can jump on one of the city's 260 electric trams, many of which are named after famous people from Gothenburg.

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Public transport -

Alternatively, there are zero-emission electric buses or Styr & Stall bikes, which are available to rent from a number of locations around the city.

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Public transport -

Then of course there’s the option to go by foot, which many people do since nearly everything in the city is within walking distance.

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Dining -

When it comes to choosing somewhere to eat, you can rest assured that if a restaurant is part of the Taste of Gothenburg association, it has an environmental diploma or is in the process of certification.

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Dining -

There are many vegetarian restaurants throughout the city, and it is a legal requirement that any meat served in the municipality must be organically-farmed.

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Dining -

The regional organization KRAV is responsible for ensuring that meat-serving restaurants meet the required animal welfare and responsible farming standards.

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Dining -

Celebrated restaurants in the city include Taverna Averna, an Italian bistro that grows its vegetables on the roof, and Upper House, a rooftop Michelin star restaurant that produces its own honey to sweeten drinks.

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Fashion -

The city has also embraced environmentally-friendly fashion. The neighborhood of Haga is awash with sustainable clothing stores, such as Thrive, which only sells natural, organic, or recycled clothing.

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Fashion -

The international denim brand Nudie Jeans had its start in Gothenburg, and the original store is still going strong today.

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The port -

In 2011, the Port of Gothenburg was given the Shipping Award for "Regional Environmental Protection Contribution," in recognition of the fact that it was the first in the world to provide onshore power to vessels at berth.

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The port -

This is a great step to take in terms of sustainability since the provision of onshore power helps to reduce carbon emissions.

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The airport -

The city’s airport, Landvetter Airport, also has the highest possible level of environmental accreditation.

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Awards -

All this makes for a city that has been winning sustainability awards since 2011, when it was named both Fairtrade City and Top European Eco-tourism Destination.

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Going forward -

But the people of Gothenburg recognize that there is still a long way to go and the city is not resting on its laurels.

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Going forward -

2021 marks the city’s 400th birthday, and plans are already well underway for sustainability workshops and conferences where locals will be consulted about projects.

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Going forward -

The exciting Jubileumsparken project aims to incorporate a park that lies on the working class outskirts of the city into the dynamic inner city.

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Going forward -

With all of this attention it is predicted that 250,000 new residents will flock to the city in the next 15 years. This will no doubt throw up new challenges, but there is little doubt that Gothenburg will rise to the occasion.

See also: Going green—celebs who champion environmentalism.

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