KARACHI: The metropolis has been named among the least liveable cities in the world by the Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU) — a research and analysis division of the Economist Group.

Each year, the EIU gives 140 cities score out of 100 on a range of factors, such as living standards, crime, transport infrastructure, access to education and healthcare, as well as political and economic stability.

This year, Karachi has been ranked 136th on the list — the fifth least liveable city in the world — only managing to fare better than Damascus in Syria, Lagos in Nigeria, Dhaka in Bangladesh and Tripoli in Libya. Other countries in the list of the 10 least liveable cities include Caracas in Venezuela, Algiers in Algeria, Douala in Cameroon, Harare in Zimbabwe and Port Moresby in Papua New Guinea.

Ranked on 136th position, Karachi’s overall rating out of 100, which EIU stated was ideal, was 40.9, its stability rating was 20, healthcare 45.8, culture and environment 38.7, education 66.7 and infrastructure 51.8.

Karachi’s ranking has improved by one spot in comparison to 2018 when it was listed on the 137th position.

Known for its refreshing Alpine tap water, convenient public transport and varied cultural life, Vienna has been judged as the world’s most liveable city

For the first time, the index noted the effects of climate change on liveability, with Indian capital New Delhi and Egyptian capital Cairo plunging in the rankings to 118th and 125th place, respectively, due to “poor air quality, undesirable average temperatures and inadequate water provision”.

“We expect problems relating to climate change to put increasing pressure on liveability scores in the coming years and for the number of cities affected to grow,” Agathe Demarais of the EIU said.

Meanwhile, Austrian capital Vienna retained its ranking as the world’s most liveable city. Vienna once again came ahead of Australia’s Melbourne — which had held the top ranking for seven years until losing it to Vienna in 2018. The top two were followed by Sydney, Osaka and Calgary.

Vienna — known for its convenient public transport, refreshing Alpine tap water and varied cultural life — scored 99.1 points out of 100, as it did last year.

“Western Europe and North America continue to be the most liveable regions in the world,” the EIU said in a press release. Europe claimed eight of the top 20 spots, with cities in Japan, Australia, New Zealand and Canada making up the rest.

However, French city Paris, dropped six places to 25th due to the anti-government “yellow vest” protests — images of which went around the world.

Improvements in liveability that had taken place in emerging markets’ cities in recent years — thanks to greater stability as well as better education and healthcare — are under serious threat from an increasingly adverse climate, it said.

London and New York rank 48th and 58th, respectively, as they continue to struggle under the perceptions of the risk of crime and terrorism and overstretched infrastructure.

Despite the risk to future scores posed by climate change, the report noted, a longer-term view suggested that overall liveability had improved in recent years.

Published in Dawn, September 5th, 2019