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Accra has received high scores for sanitation and environment management at the ongoing UN climate change conference in South Africa Ghana capital and five other cities in Africa were rated above average in the African Green City Index studied 15 African countries. The index was produced by the Economist and Siemens Africa and was released in Durban, South Africa, Friday December 2, on the sidelines of the ongoing COP17. It puts Accra, Cape Town, Casablanca, Durban Johannesburg and Tunis. The cities were rated as well below average, below average, average, above average and well above average. No city however is well above average. Some of the key indicators the index looked at include water, energy use, waste management transportation and sanitation. Accra stretches along the Atlantic coast, covering just 200 square kilometres which is the smallest administrative area among the 15 cities in the African Green City Index. Accra�s estimated population of 2. 3 million (extending to some 4 million when neighbouring urban agglomerations are taken into account) makes the city the second densest in the index, behind Cairo. �Although Ghana is viewed as one of the sub-Sahara Africa�s development success stories, many challenges remain for its capital. The city suffers from what UN Habitat calls an �urban divide� between the rich and poor, especially when it comes to accessing affordable housing and municipal services,� says the Index. Urbanization was more sudden and rapid than Ghana�s post-colonial government predicted, and as a result the city was unprepared to meet the surging demand for housing and services, it adds. It also notes that despite Accra�s visible challenges the city remains strong in its quest to be green. �The city�s standout category is environmental governance where it ranks high relative to its index peers with strong scores for environment; management, monitoring and public participation,� the index says. Accra, according to the Index ranks strong in the areas of air quality and sanitation, where it ranks above average, bolstered by air quality promotion and monitoring and a robust policy aimed at promoting sanitation. �Energy and CO2 is another above average category for Accra, driven by a high rate renewable electricity and low electricity consumption but limited supplies and steep prices partly explain the city�s relatively low consumption. �Accra�s weakest category is transport where it ranks below average, largely because of underdeveloped infrastructure and policies,� the Index says.