Major survey provides essential insight into our perception of quality of life day-to-day

Feb 27 2016

A major 'flash barometer' survey conducted by the European Union every three years has given an essential insight into our perception of quality of life day-to-day. Importantly for REMOURBAN cities and stakeholders, issues like air and noise pollution and climate change also complement satisfaction with infrastructure and facilities.

The report reveals a proud set of urban dwellers. In all but 6 cities 80% of respondents saying they are satisfied living in their city, with Oslo, Zurich (both 99%), Aalborg, Vilnius and Belfast at 98%. Safety, it seems was the single factor that correlated most strongly with satisfaction.

However, as one might expect, the picture is complex and varies widely on issues from city to city, with significant improvements in satisfaction with transport and infrastructure amongst some of the lower performers. It does seem though, that almost across the board, European citizens believe the efficiency of local authority services have some way to go.

Concerning their cities role in tackling climate change, in two-thirds of the 83 a majority agrees with the statement that "their city is involved in fighting climate change", and in 9 cities the level of agreement equals or exceeds 70%. The highest agreement rates are in French cities: Bordeaux (82%), Strasbourg (81%) and Rennes (76%), while southern European cities of Madrid, Athena and Palermo feel the least engaged on the topic.

The full report gives plenty of insight actors and stakeholders involved in urban development and the European Commission hope it will inspire leaders to implement a holistic approach to social, economic, cultural and environmental challenges.