Further south, hikers enjoy the Ring of Kerry, which is a 179-km-long circular route that takes travellers around the Iveragh Peninsula, the lakes of Killarney and other unique places. Oslo, Norway. Finland, Iceland and Sweden tied for 1st place in the air quality category, with total concentrations of fine particulate matter (PM2.5) of just 5.9 micrograms per cubic meter. Prior to NimbleFins, she worked as an investment professional and as the finance expert in Stanford University's Graduate School of Business case writing team. Odysseia-in Travel (since1990)

... washed down with some of Europe’s least known yet tastiest vintages.

And its quaint capital Ljubljana was also anointed Europe’s Greenest Capital in 2016 by the European Union. To quantify how energy consumption compares, we ranked countries on both the amount of non-renewable energy consumed per capita and also the percentage of consumed energy sourced from renewable sources such as hydropower, solar, wind, geothermal and biomass energy. 10 solutions to climate change + 5 actions for your green travel. Each score is based on a country's rank across these categories. Ecotourism originated in the 1970s and 80s in the midst of the environmental movement. This is our updated study for 2020—you can find our 2019 study here and read about changes we've made to the study for 2020 here. For more information please see our Advertiser Disclosure. On this blog, we share stories from Europeana, providing access to millions of digitised cultural heritage items  – books, artworks, recordings and more, written by cultural heritage professionals from across Europe. Advertiser Disclosure: NimbleFins is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA), FCA FRN 797621. More posts by Conor Bracknell →, Ruins of Kronoberg Castle, Växjö, Småland, Sweden, ph. It ranked in the top 3 countries for greenhouse gases emissions, air quality, energy and land. ValuePenguin is not in control of, or in any way affiliated with, the content displayed on this website. Can Travel Insurance Help if Natural Disaster Strikes?

Sweden, Malta, Croatia and Romania ranked as the countries with the lowest levels of greenhouse emissions in our study.

We categorised this data into six groups: waste, energy, greenhouse gases, air quality, freshwater and natural land. The world's top 10 eco-friendly countries with a commitment to climate change policies and sustainability are all in Europe according to the 2020 Environmental … This compensation may impact how and where offers appear on this site (for example, the order in which they appear).

Crete has gained legendary status for its healthy lifestyle due to a diet made up of homegrown seasonal produce rich in vegetables and fruits. Ireland has a plentitude of remarkable landscapes that can be found all throughout the country. Using these data sets, we first ranked the 30 European countries for which we could find data based on each metric and calculated an average ranking for each category. With an ever-growing interest in environmentally conscious travel and activities, many places are offering more eco-friendly destination packages to attract visitors whilst preserving their nature. Noord has become a creative hub with galleries, restaurants, and quirky shops in former factories and hangars.

As one of the first professionals in the field on the Balkans I would like the way you make the selection of the chosen countries.

Lower scores are better. Not only that, but the country’s unique position on the mid-Atlantic ridge means that it has one of the most incredible natural landscapes. Iceland ranked 1st in the land category overall, with only 0.05% of the land surface taken up by artificial surfaces and 1.2% by crops. Political leaders have encouraged their citizens to respect and preserve nature.

Iceland ranked as the 3rd greenest country in Europe.

Discover new sustainable accomodations, eco-friendly ideas, tips to live green and more! In contrast, cropland and urban areas can put a strain on the environment, through higher temperatures, rainwater runoff problems, poor quality air, displacing wildlife and other environmental perils. !function(d,s,id){var js,fjs=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0],p=/^http:/.test(d.location)? Being one of the most tectonically active places in the world, with more than 200 volcanoes and 600 hot springs, Iceland is able to generate almost all of its electricity from hydro and geothermal power. Ireland is one of the greenest destinations in Europe. For green foodies, this is a country where sustainability and organic food have always been a part of their restaurant concepts, so you won’t find it hard to eat responsibly. Norway ranked 1st in the energy category with 73% of energy coming from renewable sources and 2.8 tonnes of oil-equivalent non-renewable energy consumed per capita. While we use our best endeavours to be comprehensive and up to date with product info, prices and terms may change after we publish, so always check details with the provider. Municipal waste includes that from households, commerce, offices and public institutions. Norway also has a great supply of renewable freshwater resources, with 74.4 thousand cubic metres per capita (second only to Iceland). Extreme weather includes severe storms and associated flooding in some areas to extended droughts in others; or record-breaking heat waves and cold streaks across the globe. It will be great to continue and add some more destinations like Bulgaria (many areas of interest) , Albania, Northern continental part of Greece etc. A study in the US showed that PM2.5 increased the rate of death by chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (+3.3%) and heart disease (+2.1%). Some of its activities include hiking excursions around the village to learn about the history of the area, traditional cooking lessons on the Cretan diet and botanical walks. For interest, we include sub-data for gas emissions from agriculture and cows. Below we explain our findings and methodology. Cycling is also promoted as a transport alternative, so don’t forget to hire a bike when you arrive – it’s the best way to explore and sight see!

Is this the most earth-friendly way to travel? Romania’s Ecotourism Association (AER) aims to improve Romania’s ecotourism services that contribute to the conservation of nature and sustainable development. These green areas make up over a third of the city’s area, making it a spectacular place to travel to for those who enjoy being surrounded by nature. Some of these islands are known for picturesque sandy beaches. Enagron village in Crete, known as an ecotourism village, incorporates all traditional aspects of Cretan life for visitors to experience and learn from. Add that to the city’s ubiquitous nature reserves and stringent eco policies, and you have one of the greenest capitals in Europe. Forests and other natural areas are critical to the environmental health of the planet. Note: we made a few changes to our study of Greenest Countries in Europe from 2019: Erin Yurday is the CEO, Co-founder and Editor of NimbleFins. Tweets by @Europeanaeu

Boost Your Odds with These Tips, 7 Things Your Travel Insurance May Not Cover, Travelinsurance.co.uk Travel Insurance Review. Are there alternatives which could reduce your carbon or print?. The best European countries for environmental sustainability are good at limiting landfill, recycling waste, consuming less energy, using a higher proportion of renewable energy and having clean air, plus they have a substantial proportion of natural land like forests and ample renewable freshwater. Ecotourism in Europe: A look at four countries’ green activities, Trekking through Europe: a history of hiking, Protecting and preserving nature and culture:…, Green through time: Four historical figures who…. ATTA member, Växjö became the first city to set a target for becoming fossil fuel free by the year 2030, and half of its energy and electricity comes from trees. Find out more about how Europeana supports digital transformation of cultural heritage. Visit the regenerated former industrial area of Amsterdam Noord to relax by the waterfront areas or explore the rural landscapes. Some offers that appear on this website are from companies from which NimbleFins receives compensation. Find out more about how Europeana supports digital transformation of cultural heritage. Home to Växjö, the ‘greenest city in Europe’, Sweden is a great place for eco-tourism. Required fields are marked *. But while a high proportion of energy comes from renewable sources (55%), the actual per capita consumption of nonrenewable energy is still one of the highest in the EU (3.0 TOE per person). This city consists of more than 310 islands. FAO (Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations): Percentage of land that is cropland and artificial surfaces. Greenhouse gas emissions are the lowest at 5.4 tons per capita.

According to data from AQUASTAT gathered via the World Bank, Iceland is the clear winner in the freshwater category, with 519 thousand cubic metres of renewable internal freshwater resources per capital. Conor blogs about eco travel, green energy and sustainability, and environment based infographics, including this latest interactive infographic showing the World’s Greenest Countries in ranking order. We’ll explore and highlight a few eco-tourism activities across four different European countries. Common sources of PM2.5 are traffic and local heating. Should You Buy Travel Insurance from a Comparison Site? The freshwater resources data now reflects. Foraging is a popular way to source produce, which means that menus are always refreshing, clean and exciting. Read more on LinkedIn. If you decide to visit one of these beautiful countries, be sure to invest in a policy from a good, cheap travel insurance company to protect your holiday and your wallet should something go wrong. We gathered the data from several reputable sources including Eurostat, the European Environmental Agency, the World Health Organization and the World Bank. Where to go: Mount Saint Mary is a verdant hill just north of Ljubljana centre and provides travellers with the perfect landscape for hiking and walks with panoramic views. Europeana works with thousands of European archives, libraries and museums to share cultural heritage for enjoyment, education and research. The composite score is an equally weighted average of each category's score. One of Norway’s greatest, well known and popular attractions is the Geiranger Fjord.