GDS-Index has just released its top 40 sustainable destinations for 2025 – and the top three are all Scandinavian.
The winner is Helsinki, the Finnish capital, which achieved 93.5 points on the GDS-Index. The ranking is based on nearly 80 criteria covering all dimensions of sustainability: environmental, social, and economic. Around 100 destinations from across the globe participated in the ranking.
Top five
- Helsinki (Finland): 93.5 points
- Gothenburg (Sweden): 91.51 points
- Copenhagen (Denmark): 88.76 points
- Aalborg (Denmark): 82.98 points
- Glasgow (Scotland): 81.88 points
Other notable cities that have made the top 40 are Amsterdam (that has just stepped up into the 40th spot), Glasgow (which climbed up to fifth place, using COP26 to catalyse that transition) and Singapore which has also made a significant jump in the rankings. Scandinavia is by far the highest-achieving region, with seven of the top 10 destinations based in the region. Beyond northern Europe, other European destinations that made the top 40 are Lyon (ranked 8th), Belfast (ranked 9th), Kerry (ranked 12th), Barcelona (ranked 14th) and Berlin (ranked 17th). Montreal is the only North American destination to make the top 40. This year’s results were particularly close, with just over two points separating the top three destinations. “The GDS-Index is a highly effective way for all participating destinations to challenge and inspire each other to keep improving and to take further steps toward a sustainable transition. “The fact that this year’s results were close, with several destinations achieving outstanding scores, is clear evidence of that. We look forward to continued collaboration in the future,” said Katarina Thorstensson, sustainability strategist at Göteborg & Co.
2025 Most Improved Destination
Meanwhile, the 2025 Most Improved Destination was Adelaide, Australia. General manager at Business Events Adelaide Tony Saulters explained that one of Adelaide’s major advantages is its cohesion. “We can knock on doors and get answers,” he explained. “We call ourselves Team Adelaide.” As such, one of the most important actions the city has taken to improve its sustainability ranking was to bring the state government and city council on board with its initiatives. Adelaide Airport has become the first airport in Australia to achieve carbon neutrality. Saulters noted that having a target was a key factor in Adelaide’s recent success. Also, having other Australian destinations that rank highly for sustainability (namely Brisbane and Sydney), got Adelaide’s “competitive juices” going, Saulters explained. In addition, Saulters said that there is a strong chance that the next COP conference will come to Adelaide, which would go a long way towards achieving a sustainable legacy in the Australian city. When asked what advice Saulters had for destinations that haven’t signed up for GDS-Index, Saulters advised destinations to sign up. “We didn’t know what we didn’t know,” he said. Since signing up, Adelaide has learned a great deal about developing a roadmap towards a more sustainable future. For more information on the GDS-Index, visit: https://www.gds.earth/
