Few environmental campaigners will have been surprised at Bristol's failure to win the first (or even second) European Green Capital award – that honour went to Stockholm for 2010 and Hamburg for 2011.

Although it was a real achievement to make the eight-city shortlist, many would agree there's still a long way to go before Bristol can be called truly "green".

For a start, it still hasn't sorted out a long-term waste strategy. That's currently under consultation but less than a week ago, rows over the proposal to build a massive incinerator to burn household waste led to a dramatic showdown at Bristol City Council, with the Liberal Democrats (who oppose the incinerator) taking over the leadership from the ruling Labour party (who support it).

So what can we learn from Stockholm? What (apart from a comprehensive waste strategy) does the "Venice of The North" have that Bristol hasn't?

Built on 14 islands around one of Europe's largest and best-preserved mediaeval city centres, Stockholm is twice the size of Bristol, with a population of 800,000, and growing rapidly.

Sustainable development is at the heart of growth plans and these include the ambitious target of becoming fossil-fuel free by 2050.

The environment has been a focus of attention since the Seventies and it shows. Impressively, not only has Stockholm achieved its objective of not emitting more greenhouse gases in 2000 than in 1990 but it's actually reduced emissions by four per cent.

Today each Stockholm inhabitant's amount of greenhouse gas is 50 per cent lower than Sweden's national average, and emissions per person fell 25 per cent since 1990.

The Green Capital jury was particularly impressed by Stockholm's extensive programme for improving quality of life through water purification, noise reduction, an integrated waste system, a congestion-charging system and more recreational areas, such as bathing beaches.

This is how Stockholm is performing in the different areas.

Transport – Key to Stockholm's success in reducing traffic pollution are congestion charges that were initially massively opposed when they were first introduced but now have majority support.

The congestion charges are credited with cutting traffic by 20 per cent and emissions by between 10 and 14 per cent, while more people are cycling and using public transport.

Stockholm has invested in major infrastructure such as new tram lines, a commuter train under the city and improved cycle lanes. It has also introduced car pools and converted all public transport (trains and inner city buses) to renewable fuels.

Stockholm has instigated environmental zones for buses and lorries and plans to switch all official vehicles to "green" cars.

Air quality – Not surprisingly, this is well below EC limits in most instances.

Clean water – Stockholm's water is so clean that it's possible to swim in the waters of the inner city. Waste water is treated using advanced technology before being discharged into Stockholm's archipelago, while a sustainable water management programme means Stockholm's lakes and rivers are attractive for recreation and fishing.

Buildings – It is improving energy efficiency in existing buildings and plans to reduce energy use in municipal buildings and facilities by 10 per cent. New urban developments such as Hammarby Sjöstad, on a disused industrial site, boast extremely high environmental sustainability. Residents produce 50 per cent of the power they need by turning recycled wastewater and domestic waste into heating, cooling and electricity. Filters in taps mean their water consumption is half Sweden's average, and rubbish is collected via attractive-looking sorting units and then transported using vacuum suction via a system of underground pipes.

Green spaces – An impressive 95 per cent of the city's population live less than 300m from green areas and the city has eight natural and cultural reserves.

Rubbish – An innovative integrated waste system means high recycling rates, especially of bio-waste. Organic waste is sent to biological treatment plants where it is digested into bio-solids and used as fertiliser. Biogas is extracted from sewage sludge. Combustible waste is sent to combined heat and power plants where it is incinerated and converted into district heating and electricity.

Nearly half of the city's 75 rubbish collection trucks run on biogas and by 2010 all will be on non-fossil fuel.

Organic food – Stockholm is working towards a target of 15 per cent organic for all food purchased by the city authority (in 2007 it was 6.8 per cent).