Scoring for cities in 2019

CDP scores cities who report to CDP each year and provides detailed feedback to cities on how to improve year-on-year.

Scoring is closely aligned with CDP’s mission – CDP works with cities to motivate them to disclose their impacts on the environment and natural resources and take action to reduce negative impacts.

CDP uses the scoring methodology to incentivize cities to measure and manage their environmental impact.

Scoring cities responses to the CDP questionnaire also enables us to provide feedback to the cities on the performance and completeness of their response.

Scoring allows CDP to recognise leadership in city climate action and encourage cities to follow best practice. Scoring can be used by cities internally as a tool to identify gaps in climate planning and improve a city’s response and climate planning incrementally each year.

Scores are private to cities, and are not made public for 2019, although CDP is publicly celebrating the cities that received an A.

How does CDP’s scoring for cities work?

CDP holistically assesses the information provided within the city’s response against pre-defined criteria set out in the scoring methodology. Cities are expected to complete the majority of the questionnaire in order to be scored accurately and fairly.

In addition, the criteria in the scoring methodology encourages cities to demonstrate best practice by:

• Assessing the city’s climate risk and vulnerability;
• Developing a robust adaptation or mitigation strategy;
• Measuring and tracking the city’s emissions;
• Working towards ambitious reduction targets; and
• Reporting this information publicly.

Based on the information the cities provide in their response, CDP assigns the city a score within one of four scoring bands: