Tel Aviv ranked 16th greenest city in the world

From the bike-sharing program Tel-O-Fun to its new car-sharing service, the city is trying to reduce congestion and improve air quality.

By MAX SCHINDLER
A bicycle rack as part of Tel Aviv's Tel-O-Fun bike-sharing program. (photo credit: Wikimedia Commons)
A bicycle rack as part of Tel Aviv's Tel-O-Fun bike-sharing program.
(photo credit: Wikimedia Commons)
In a surprise to Tel Avivians who complain of car exhaust and over-development, the city was recently ranked one of the world’s cleanest and most natural cities.
Tel Aviv stands as the 16th greenest city in the world, according to a study by online travel specialist TravelBird. The GreenCities 2018 index takes into account both natural and man-made areas, pinpointing recommended urban destinations for eco-conscious travelers.
Number one on the list is Iceland’s capital, Reykjavik. With 10% comprised of nature reserve areas, the city has more than 410 square meters of green space per person.
“The World Health Organization has reported that urban green spaces help individuals to feel more relaxed, reduce stress levels and also help protect against harmful pollutants,” said Travelbird’s chief traveler officer, Fiona Vanderbroeck.
“With many of our travelers seeking refuge from the grind of their daily routine, the thought of a city break might have once seemed contradictory to the idea of a relaxing vacation. But this index, highlighting the various green cities around the world, proves otherwise.”
Overall, about 23% of Tel Aviv is comprised of green space, offering 96 sq.m. per capita.
According to how TravelBird tabulates farmland, Tel Aviv also enjoys some 55 sq.m. of orchards, vineyards and farms per person – comprising 13.5% of the city.
In recent years, the Tel Aviv municipality has taken a number of steps to become eco-friendlier.
From the bike-sharing program Tel-O-Fun to its new car-sharing service, the city is trying to reduce congestion and improve air quality.
The city is also home to more than 260,000 trees covering some 20 square miles. That comes out to around 5,000 trees per square kilometer. And city officials continue to increase green space by refurbishing pedestrian walkways and planting shrubs and trees in empty lots.

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Prague is the city with the highest percentage of vegetation, with some 57% of the Czech Republic’s city consisting of public parks, woodland areas, nature reserves and farmlands.
Part of the impetus behind the study was to advocate for green living and sustainable tourism, TravelBird says.
The data-driven index analyzes city maps from around the world and quantifies the amount of parkland and nature reserves and offers a guide for nature lovers and ecologically- conscious tourists.
“Many popular city destinations around the world have made significant strides toward both preserving and manufacturing green spaces,” said TravelBird’s Vanderbroeck.
“With this index we aim to inspire travelers to see city trips differently – inviting them to connect with nature whilst also enjoying the vibrancy, culture and liveliness they look for in a city getaway.”
The study looked at OECD countries and selected 50 cities, with a focus on locales that generate a lot of tourism. TravelBird then broke down each city by three categories of green space: natural (woodlands); man-made (parks, public gardens, gold courses and orchards); and food production (orchards, vineyards and farms).

The Environment and Climate Change portal is produced in cooperation with the Goldman Sonnenfeldt School of Sustainability and Climate Change at Ben-Gurion University of the Negev. The Jerusalem Post maintains all editorial decisions related to the content.