Seven cities striving to be more sustainable

Energy efficiency, eco-friendly transport, social inclusion - many factors contribute to the sustainability of cities. Although they are not all easy to achieve, some urban centers have made bigger steps forward than others. In its annual State of the World report, the Worldwatch Institute highlights some cities that are striving to be more sustainable.

Green space is particularly important to the people of Melbourne, Australia, where the city manages more than 480 hectares of park land. Over the past few decades, around 46 hectares of streets and parking lots have been converted into green space and the city hopes to be able to provide 20 square meters of open space per person. Time for a trip Down Under and don’t forget your picnic blanket!

China is the world's largest energy consumer and the biggest emitter of carbon dioxide - which is hardly a recipe for sustainability. And yet, at least one of its cities is trying to make a change. In Shanghai, use of coal is dropping, while non-fossil fuel energy is expected to rise to 12 percent by the end of 2015 - double that of 2010. The city is also home to China's first offshore wind farm.

After taking the step of diverting car traffic from its center, Germany's university city of Freiburg had to find another way for students to make it to lectures. The answer? An extensive transit network, which means no residence is more than 300 meters from a tram or a bus stop.

Green jobs, carbon neutral buildings and a focus on supporting the local food industry - the Canadian city Vancouver has a "bright green future." In 2011, the city council approved the Greenest City 2020 Action Plan. Since then, the city has integrated policies with the hope they will bring it to an environmentally friendly future.

Singapore is a world leader in desalination, and its national water strategy is just one of the factors that highlights Singapore's sustainability. Almost all urban rainwater is harvested and stored in drinking water reservoirs, while water pollution is also kept in check.

Pune was the first Indian city to implement a bus rapid transit (BRT) pilot - much like this one in South Korea. The scheme uses dedicated bus lanes to promote ease of travel. The Rainbow BRT includes 30 kilometers of bus lanes, and serves more than 100,000 people. The first few months saw a 12 percent increase in the number of people hopping on the bus.

Harmony between humans and nature is one of the things Barcelona is trying to achieve with its sustainability plan. The metropolitan area is home to more than 2,000 plant species, 28 mammal species and 184 types of birds, as well as reptiles, fish and more.