Rome has fallen far down the city rankings in the latest report by Lega Ambiente on the eco-systems of cities in Italy. The report, released on 13 October in Belluno, shows that Rome has dropped to 70th position compared with 55th last year and has been eclipsed by Milan, which jumped from 59th to 49th place. Rome continues to have better air quality than Milan but other environmental indicators such as bicycle paths, recycling, and pedestrian islands place the Lombard capital far above Rome in the rankings.

According to the report that examined 103 cities, Belluno in Veneto has the best eco-system in Italy followed by Siena (Tuscany), Trento (Alto Adige), Verbania (Piedmont), and Parma (Emilia-Romagna), while Frosinone (Lazio) is the worst followed by Ragusa (Sicily), Catania (Sicily), Benevento (Campania), and Trapani (Sicily).

Lega Ambiente, a national environmental association, compiles the report “Ecosistema Urbano” each year ranking Italian cities according to various environmental criteria such as the amount of recycling, energy consumption, and green space. As well as indicating the quality of living in different cities, Lega Ambiente uses the report to highlight cities that have put in place environmental initiatives and to denounce those that have taken no or little action to improve their urban eco-systems.