New Global Survey Reveals City Dwellers Around the World Hold Similar Views and Feelings about City Life
U.S. cities rank high in satisfaction with Chicago leading pack
CHICAGO--(Business Wire)--
In a first-of-its-kind biennial survey from Veolia Environnement,
the world's largest environmental services company, 8,600 people in 14
of the world's largest cities have revealed very common likes and
dislikes for life in the city while painting a picture of their ideal
future city.
The findings of the study - the first of its magnitude and scope
to examine how people actually feel about city living by contrasting
multiple cities on a global basis - has notable importance because for
the first time in history, 50 percent of the world's population lives
in cities - up from only 10 percent just 100 years ago. By 2025, the
number is expected to increase to nearly 60 percent, presenting a
multiplicity of challenges as cities struggle to provide essential
services and a good quality of life for their residents.
Overall, the global findings show 83 percent of city dwellers are
satisfied with their city and 75 percent want to continue living in
their city. But these positive attitudes are tempered by contradictory
feelings about city life, with residents feeling a great sense of
freedom (84 percent) but feeling constrained by high cost-of-living
and economic pressures (80 percent). The city is viewed as a setting
where it is relatively easy to meet people (72 percent) but one that
triggers feelings of isolation, anonymity and anxiety among a majority
(53 percent) of people. Convenience, attachment and stress were the
top three feelings respondents used to describe their relationship
with their city. Mixed emotions seem to be a permanent fixture of city
life around the globe.
The three U.S. cities surveyed (New York, Los Angeles and Chicago)
performed well. Chicagoans are the most satisfied (percent "very
satisfied") with their city overall (49 percent), followed by Sydney
(44 percent), New York (41 percent), Berlin (38 percent), Los Angeles
and Paris (35 percent each). Satisfaction is lowest in Mexico City (19
percent), Beijing (18 percent) and Tokyo (14 percent).
In addition to convenience, a sense of freedom and an ease in
meeting people, city dwellers appreciate cities for their sports and
cultural activities, public transportation and the diversity of
people. Chief among their dislikes and concerns are the costs of
living, traffic jams, safety, pollution, noise, dirt and poor
management of public services. What city dwellers say would improve
their quality of life includes reduced cost of living (49 percent
globally versus 59 percent for U.S. cities), improved safety (27
percent), less pollution (25 percent), reduced unemployment (25
percent), fewer traffic jams (23 percent) and development of public
transportation (18 percent).
"The survey shows how city dwellers worldwide share very common
personal desires and a common concern for the future of their cities,"
said Michel Gourvennec, chief executive of the Veolia Environnement
group in North America. "The growth pace of large urban areas is
spurring greater complexity in the management of public services and
infrastructure. City dwellers want greener, cleaner cities with better
affordability and greater mobility. Veolia Environnement is especially
interested in helping people improve their quality of life and the
survey represents another way for our clients to recognize, anticipate
and plan for the complexities associated with urban living."
More Key Findings
What urbanites like about the cities where they live - Worldwide,
respondents cited the following when asked what they like most about
the city where they live: Public transportation systems (36 percent),
sports and cultural activities (35 percent), economic and cultural
dynamism (30 and 29 percent, respectively), entertainment
possibilities (26 percent), and diversity (23 percent).
What urbanites dislike about the cities where they live -
Respondents cited the following when asked what they hate about the
city where they live: Traffic jams (48 percent), pollution (38
percent), noise (28 percent), dirt (26 percent), poor management of
public services and crowds (both at 25 percent).
Improving public transportation and mobility is important to city
dwellers - Sixty-six percent of respondents in all 14 cities use
public transportation as their primary means of transportation versus
a much lower 41 percent in the U.S. Residents in Los Angeles and
Chicago are more likely to use cars as their primary means of
transportation (82 percent) versus the global average (53 percent).
Overall, Americans are more likely to see traffic congestion as a
strong dislike and are more passionate about reducing traffic
congestion as a key way to improve quality of life.
Residents of Shanghai, Beijing, Chicago, Prague, Lyon and Paris
are most confident about the future of their city. Around the world,
however, the percent that is "very confident" is relatively low (16
percent) versus 49 percent who are "somewhat confident" about the
future. Chief worries for the future include: cost of living (72
percent), air quality (66 percent), noise (65 percent), quality of the
environment (56 percent) and housing (55 percent).
What is the ideal city? Focus group participants around the globe
described the ideal city as a combination that includes:
-- Sydney, Chicago and Los Angeles, best described as "easy to
live" cities because of a closeness to nature (ocean and Great
Lakes settings) and optimism
-- Tokyo's mass transit system and convenience
-- Shanghai and Beijing's economic vitality
-- Paris, London and New York's cosmopolitan setting and cultural
activities
-- New York, Chicago and Los Angeles's population diversity
-- Alexandria, Berlin and Prague's fun-loving social atmosphere
and ease in meeting people
-- Prague and Chicago's friendliness
-- Prague's architecture
From a negative perspective, Tokyo was generally considered a
"cold" city for its lack of warmth and friendliness, while the survey
underscored Mexico City residents' concern for safety and negative
feelings arising from urbanization.
How city dwellers spend their time is universal around the world.
During the week, the typical city dweller sleeps 7 hours on average
and devotes 7 hours to work, 2 hours to transportation, 2 hours each
to administrative tasks and chores, and enjoys approximately 4 hours
for personal leisure time. Similarly, residents from all cities desire
more sleep (1 hour, ideally), less time in transport (1 hour), less
time at work (1 hour) and 2 more hours per day for family, friends and
personal leisure.
First-of-its-kind biennial survey
Veolia Environnement established the Veolia Observatory of Urban
Lifestyles to augment its knowledge of the complexities of urban life
and examine people's relationships to their cities.
The Observatory's first study was conducted in conjunction with
global market research leader Ipsos, which surveyed more than 8,600
people in Alexandria, Beijing, Berlin, Chicago, London, Los Angeles,
Lyon, Mexico City, New York, Paris, Prague, Shanghai, Sydney and
Tokyo. Surveys were conducted online, and personal interviews were
conducted in Alexandria and Prague where Internet penetration is low.
Focus groups in 11 of the 14 cities supplemented quantitative survey
findings.
The Veolia Observatory will conduct biennial studies probing the
attitudes of urban dwellers across the globe.
More information about Veolia Observatory and The Veolia
Observatory Survey of Urban Lifestyles is available at
http://www.observatoire.veolia.com/en/.
About Veolia Environnement
Veolia Environnement (NYSE:VE) and (Paris:VIE) is the world's
largest environmental services company providing tailored solutions in
water management, waste management, energy management and freight and
passenger transportation. With more than 320,000 employees, Veolia
Environnement recorded annual revenues of $48 billion for the 2007
fiscal year. Visit the company's global Web site at
www.veoliaenvironnement.com and North American Web site at
www.veolianorthamerica.com.
Important Disclaimer. Veolia Environnement is a corporation listed
on the NYSE and Euronext Paris. This press release contains
"forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the provisions of
the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Such
forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance.
Actual results may differ materially from the forward-looking
statements as a result of a number of risks and uncertainties, many of
which are outside our control, including but not limited to: the risk
of suffering reduced profits or losses as a result of intense
competition, the risk that changes in energy prices and taxes may
reduce Veolia Environnement's profits, the risk that governmental
authorities could terminate or modify some of Veolia Environnement's
contracts, the risk that Veolia Environnement's compliance with
environmental laws may become more costly in the future, the risk that
currency exchange rate fluctuations may negatively affect Veolia
Environnement's financial results and the price of its shares, the
risk that Veolia Environnement may incur environmental liability in
connection with its past, present and future operations, and the risks
related to Veolia Environnement's relationship with Vivendi Universal,
as well as the risks described in the documents Veolia Environnement
has filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. Veolia
Environnement does not undertake, nor does it have, any obligation to
provide updates or to revise any forward-looking statements. Investors
and security holders may obtain a free copy of documents filed by
Veolia Environnement with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission
from Veolia Environnement.
Scott Edwards
Veolia Environnement North America
281-985-5479
scott.edwards@veoliawaterna.com
or
Samantha Blau
Porter Novelli
312-856-8814
samantha.blau@porternovelli.com
Copyright Business Wire 2008
