Benchmark

Look Outside the U.S. for the World's Most Sustainable Cities

European cities were among the most sustainable; not a single U.S. or Canadian city cracked the Top 20

A road sweeper at work on the waterfront, in Singapore.

Photographer: Munshi Ahmed/Bloomberg
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For all the conveniences that cities have to offer -- from shorter commutes to neighborhood farmers markets -- many are failing to meet the challenges of sustainable development.

North America's largest cities fare poorly, with not a single one in the Top 20 of the second annual Sustainable Cities Index published by Arcadis, an Amsterdam-based global engineering and consulting company.