The Burrow
Oct 9, 2025
Cities around the world are under increasing pressure to cut emissions, expand renewable energy, and rethink how people move and live. From EV charging networks and zero-emission buses to green infrastructure and eco-friendly buildings, sustainable development is no longer just a policy buzzword. It’s reshaping how people live, commute, and power their homes. Yet progress remains uneven, with some places racing ahead in the shift toward climate-friendly living, while others struggle to keep up.
To find out how the globe is faring, the energy experts at Compare the Market conducted a study looking at which US states, European nations, and Australian cities are making the biggest strides; and which ones are struggling to keep up.
The rankings measure progress using a mix of environmental and infrastructure factors, including:
Each factor was normalised to a score between 0 and 1, with lower emissions scoring higher, before being combined into an overall total out of 100.
Across the US, smaller states are proving that scale isn’t everything when it comes to building greener communities. While Vermont, California, and New York lead the charge, other notable performers include Washington (46.19) and Oregon (41.45), both generating over 40% of their electricity from renewables, and Massachusetts (45.73), which has one of the nation’s highest densities of EV charging ports.
Vermont tops the US ranking with a score of 67.07, proving that small really can be mighty when it comes to sustainability. The state runs on almost 100% renewable electricity, with hydropower, solar, and biomass all playing a role in keeping the grid clean. It also leads the nation for EV charging, with more than 200 ports per 100,000 people.
California follows closely behind, with a score of 66.13, standing out across almost every measure. It boasts more than 10,000 green-certified buildings, second only to Texas, alongside an extensive EV charging network (150.9 per 100k). The state also ranks third for zero-emission buses (5.8 per 100k) and performs well on emissions, with residents averaging 8.2 tonnes per person.
New York (56.36) rounds out the top three in our index, combining strong infrastructure with high consumer engagement. The state is home to nearly 3,900 green buildings and records the highest level of online searches for energy-saving technologies nationwide.
While its renewable electricity share is relatively modest at 14.6%, New York posts one of the lowest CO₂ emissions per person in the country (8.3 tonnes), a figure that may surprise many given its population size and density.
Some states are struggling to keep pace with the transition to cleaner energy. North Dakota (10.75), Alaska (12.86), and Wyoming (14.49) sit at the bottom of the index. Their rankings reflect a mix of very high per-capita CO₂ emissions and limited investment in renewable infrastructure.
Europe continues to lead globally in clean energy and low-carbon transport. While the top performers set the pace, other nations also stand out. Portugal ranks fourth (59.78) with over 85% renewable electricity and some of the lowest CO₂ emissions per capita in Europe, while the Netherlands boasts the continent’s densest EV charging network, with 854.7 ports per 100,000 people.
Sweden tops the European index with a score of 72.55, reflecting its long-standing commitment to sustainability. Nearly 70% of its electricity already comes from renewable sources and has one of the highest levels of EV charging availability (410.5 per 100k). It also stands out for its urban greenery, with tree cover accounting for almost half of urban areas; helping improve air quality and make daily life healthier for residents.
Coming in second is Switzerland (70.29), powered by 67% renewable electricity, with hydropower doing most of the heavy lifting. The nation’s almost fully electrified rail network (99.8%) is the highest in our index, making sustainable travel a daily reality for commuters and tourists alike.
Norway (65.76) rounds out the top three, leading Europe in renewable generation at an extraordinary 98.4% of electricity, thanks largely to its vast hydropower resources.1 With the country scoring well for EV charging density (459.6 per 100k) and 54.7% green space in urban areas, Norwegians benefit from both climate-friendly transport and everyday access to nature.
While its rail network is less electrified, Norway’s focus on clean power and EV adoption keeps it near the top of the rankings.
Czechia (18.34) and Ireland (13.86) sit at the bottom of the index, reflecting the slow pace of their sustainability progress. Czechia records the highest CO₂ emissions per person in the dataset (7.9 tonnes) and generates just 17.1% of its electricity from renewables, leaving it heavily reliant on fossil fuels.2
Ireland posts the lowest share of electrified rail in Europe (2.6%) and the lowest level of urban tree cover (16.8%), alongside relatively high emissions. These gaps in clean transport and green infrastructure hold back its progress despite growing public awareness of climate issues.
Australia’s big capitals face challenges with emissions and infrastructure, but smaller cities prove that targeted investment in renewable energy and clean transport can deliver big results.
Albury takes the top spot in Australia’s index with a score of 60.31, showing that regional centres can outshine the big capitals when it comes to sustainability. The city benefits from strong EV charging availability (29.6 stations per 100k residents) and significant investment in electric bus fleets, giving locals greener ways to travel.
Canberra, Australia’s capital, ranks second with 53.27, driven by extraordinary levels of public engagement. The city records the highest level of public searches for energy-saving technologies in the country (over 8,200 per 100k).
It also offers strong EV charging access (21.3 per 100k residents), giving people the infrastructure to back their interest in greener living. With CO₂ emissions at just 2.9 tonnes per person, among the lowest in the index, Canberra demonstrates how public engagement and cleaner energy use can translate into measurable progress toward a sustainable city.
Newcastle takes third place with a score of 53.22. The city has nearly 20 EV charging stations per 100k residents and, like Albury, benefits from a fleet of electric buses.
With CO₂ emissions at 13.5 tonnes per person, change is underway. The Port of Newcastle has committed to running on 100% renewable energy and aims to be fully decarbonised by 2040.3 These steps show how the city is actively transitioning away from its carbon-heavy past toward a cleaner, more resilient future.
Hobart ranks fourth in the index with a score of 51.01, driven by its impressive renewable energy mix. More than 42% of the city’s electricity comes from renewable sources, the highest share among the cities in the ranking.
Its CO₂ emissions per capita are extremely low (-8.6 tonnes) thanks to Tasmania’s forests acting as a carbon sink. With clean energy leading the way, Hobart shows how renewable power and natural assets can underpin more sustainable urban living.
While smaller centres in Australia are making strong progress, some of the bigger metros are lagging despite their size, resources, and economic weight. Sydney (41.78) and Melbourne (31.51) sit in the middle of the sustainability index. Both record relatively low levels of renewable electricity use (10% and 8.8% respectively) and limited EV charging availability (just 5–6 stations per 100k residents), holding back their scores. However, Sydney compensates for this with sustainable public transport and electric buses.
Perth (17.83) and Darwin (3.78) sit at the very bottom of the index. Darwin records extremely high CO₂ emissions (92.5 tonnes per person), no electric buses, and the lowest renewable share (1.4%). Perth also underperforms, with just 3.4% of electricity from renewables and emissions of 30.1 tonnes per capita.
Compare the Market Australia’s Head of Energy, Meredith O’Brien, notes that sustainability can look very different depending on where you live, but that change can even start at home.
“Smaller places like Vermont in the US and Albury here in Australia are proving that size isn’t everything when it comes to building greener communities,” Ms O’Brien said.
“When looking to increase your sustainability at home, simple changes like switching to energy-efficient appliances, using smart plugs, or comparing your energy plan to find one that better supports renewable sources can all add up.
“Reducing household energy use not only helps cut emissions but can also ease the pressure on your power bills, showing that sustainable living is both climate-friendly and cost-savvy.”
The Sustainable Regions Index analysed sustainability performance across the US, Europe, and Australia, using a mix of environmental and infrastructure factors.
Each factor’s data was collected and normalised to a score between 0 and 1. If data was missing, a score of 0 was given. These scores were then combined to give each state a total score out of 100, and states were ranked from highest to lowest.
The factors were indexed as follows:
All data is correct as of 05/09/25. The ranking data shown is a compilation of multiple data sources and may not be representative of real life. All data is accurate with regards to the sources provided.
Additional Sources
This dataset ranks all 50 US states, based on their sustainability, using 6 key factors.
The factors used are as follows:
This dataset ranks 25 European countries, based on their sustainability, using 5 key factors.
The factors used are as follows:
This dataset ranks the 20 most populated Australian cities, based on their sustainability, using 5 key factors.
The factors used are as follows: