Criteria for a classification of ecological cities

Cities will have to change their policies because of climate change & increased pollution. Climate change forces cities to go for climate mitigation, or adaptation activities. Many cities claim to be ecological cities, but there are no non-ambiguous definitions of ecological cities. In this paper it is suggested to make an inventory of criteria for defining ecological cities and to make an effort to operationalize these definitions. Earlier efforts to come up with quantifiable definitions of an eco-city have been undertaken. It is suggested to use ten criteria to define ecological cities and to make an effort to operationalize them. They range from the use of energy & water to how to deal with climate change issues in an integrated way.