Bristol named most sustainable city

Bristol has knocked Brighton and Hove from first place in the second annual Sustainable Cities Index, which ranks the 20 biggest British cities according to social, economic and environmental performance. Hull came bottom.

Compiled by campaign group Forum for the Future, cities are ranked according to their performance in three areas — environment, quality of life and future-proofing or readiness for challenges ahead — to help track their progress on issues of sustainability.

Southern cities tended to perform better in the quality of life indicators — such as education and unemployment — and all featured in the top 10, while the industrial heritage of the Midlands and the North was reflected in lower life expectancy.

The rankings are:

1. Bristol

2. Brighton and Hove

3. Plymouth

4. Newcastle

5. Cardiff

6. Edinburgh

7. Sheffield

8. Leicester

9. Nottingham

10. London

11. Bradford