Netherlands

They postulate that the reasons for this are growing commitment towards employee wellbeing and expat quality of life. Since polluted environments have negative consequences for employees’ mental and physical wellbeing, a pleasanter environment may have positive consequences for both morale and productivity.

There is also considerable pressure from consumers for large companies to clean up their acts. By associating themselves with green cities, international firms enhance their reputations and gain a competitive advantage.

Profit Follows When People and Planet Benefit

By demonstrating the potential economic value of sustainable city management, the team draws attention to the third pillar of sustainability, profit. It is generally believed that when we have many industries, there must necessarily be more pollution. The University of Amsterdam report strives to prove that this is not necessarily the case.

Indeed, by embarking on initiatives that will benefit the environment and society, cities can spark a virtuous cycle in which environmental improvements ignite economic growth which in turn funds further improvements and further foreign investment.

The study calls for policymakers to set and enforce emissions and wastewater regulations and to call for investors to make use of clean energy and wastewater recycling. In addition, city pollution-reduction and clean-up programs should enjoy priority, while companies that go the extra mile in reducing pollution should receive incentives.

Finally, the authors refer to India’s war on pollution headed by Environment Minister, Harsh Vardhan. The country is home to 22 cities that rank amount the world’s 30 worst in terms of air pollution. They remark that if the new policy measures succeed, India’s cities may well become more prosperous as well as becoming healthier places to live.