Baton Rouge is the nation’s least sustainable metropolitan statistical area due to its high level of relative poverty and acute unemployment, according to a new report from the United Nations-affiliated Sustainable Development Solutions Network.
The U.S. Cities Sustainable Development Index ranks the nation’s 100 most populous MSAs based on 49 indicators drawn from 16 well-being goals. More than 190 UN member countries agreed to reach the goals—which range from reducing poverty and inequality to improving health and lowering carbon emissions—by 2030.
Baton Rouge ranked last on the list with score of 30.47. The New Orleans-Metairie area—which has a score of 33.16—is only slightly better, at No. 96. Metro areas that include San Francisco, San Diego, and Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura top the list.
“All U.S. cities studied in this index perform poorly on one or more goals, highlighting widespread sustainable development challenges such as environmental degradation, access to vital infrastructure, and social disparities,” the report says. “The U.S. Cities SDG Index serves as an advocacy tool that … should motivate mayors, other local government leaders and the U.S. federal government to examine and track the status of sustainable development across its cities and MSAs.”
