Summary report findings
Residents in Plymouth and Newport have the least impact on the environment while people in Winchester have the highest
The WWF-commissioned report was written by environmental consultancy, Carbon Plan based on data provided by the Stockholm Environment Institute (SEI). It ranked the 60 cities in England, Scotland and Wales by the average Ecological Footprint of their residents.
Global impacts of British cities
"There is an inextricable link between our over-consumption of resources here in Britain and species loss around the world," said Colin Butfield, Head of Campaigns, WWF-UK. "The more we consume, the greater the demand on the environment and the higher the level of species loss."
Cities – big potential for change
The report findings show how important it is for people to change how they live in cities.
"The battle for the environment will be won or lost in our cities," continued Colin Butfield. "This is because they have the highest potential to reduce waste and pollution. It is possible for people to live 'greener' lives due to local facilities, public transport links, dense housing and shared public resources," he added.
London surprise
Perhaps surprisingly, London residents have a relatively low transport 'footprint'.
The report found that people in London had the second lowest transport footprint in England, due to its big public transport network, low levels of car ownership and policies to discourage large, polluting cars.
Call to governments and businesses
But individuals can on average, only reduce their footprint by one third.
The report supported the much-quoted assumption that consumers are only one part of the problem. The WWF urges the government and business to also act to lessen the impact that they are having on the environment.
Ecological footprint: definition
The main factors affecting an individual's ecological footprint are: how people build and live in their houses, what transport a person uses and how far they travel, what food people buy and how it is grown and how consumer goods are manufactured.