Singapore remains Southeast Asia’s cleanest city in global rankings

SINGAPORE: Many people joke about how Singapore is a “fine” city, but what Singaporeans take quite seriously indeed, and are even proud of, is how clean the city-state is.

Multiple composite rankings often place Singapore as either number one or number two on the world’s cleanest cities lists, besting or being bested by Copenhagen.

One lists Copenhagen, which also ranks at the top of most liveable cities lists, first. It adds that the streets of Copenhagen are cleaned three times a day, and that residents take good care of their city. 

The same list attributes Singapore’s cleanliness to the city-state’s culture of “civic duty and environmental awareness.” Another study credits Singapore’s strict public cleanliness laws and efficient waste management.

While Singapore often ranks high when it comes to street cleanliness, it is bested by European cities in terms of air purity. This is because Singapore regularly deals with regional haze, shipping emissions, tropical humidity effects, and dense urban activity.

Other cities that often rank high on the list are Helsinki (Finland), Brisbane (Australia), Stockholm (Sweden), Zurich (Switzerland), and Calgary (Canada). 

There are hardly any Asian countries on the list, although Sapporo and Tokyo in Japan are included at times. Singapore is often the only Southeast Asian city on the world’s cleanest lists.

One study says, “Cleanliness rankings usually combine several measurable indicators such as air quality, waste recycling efficiency, street cleanliness, water quality, sanitation coverage, and environmental policies. Some assessments also consider citizen behaviour, public awareness, and enforcement of regulations. 

Modern cities increasingly use smart sensors, automated waste systems, electric public transport, and digital monitoring to improve urban hygiene. Geography also plays a role, as coastal winds, population density, and climate affect pollution levels and maintenance requirements. Across regions, Northern Europe, East Asia, and parts of Oceania consistently perform well due to strong governance and long-term sustainability investments.”

This study ranked Singapore on top of its list, with a mark of 90.5, followed by Helsinki (89.4), Zurich (88.7), Vienna (88.2), and Copenhagen (88.0). /TISG

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