RED BANK, NJ — Business Facilities has revealed top ranked nations for select categories in its 19th Annual Global Rankings Report. Focused on 60+ factors that are pertinent to site selection teams, the full report — including State, Metro, and Global Rankings — will be published in the July/August 2023 issue of the magazine.
“Both established and emerging national economies are being recast on the global stage post-pandemic. In this year’s rankings, we saw a number of locations retain top spots while also noting the rise of countries not ranked in previous years,” says Business Facilities Editorial Director Anne Cosgrove. “We’re pleased to share these developments in a succinct fashion to our readers in the 2023 Annual Rankings Report.”
Leading Nations: FDI And Renewable Energy
Even in the face of economic and geopolitical headwinds, foreign direct investment (FDI) held strong across the world. The leading nation for inward Worldwide FDI in 2022 was the United States, followed by China, Canada, Brazil, and India in the top 5. Of note is increased rate of greenfield FDI into Canada, Brazil, and India compared to 2021, while investment into China decreased. Rounding out the top 10 nations for Worldwide FDI are: Australia, Sweden, France, Mexico, and Spain. These and the regional FDI rankings in the upcoming Business Facilities report put emphasis on greenfield investments.
While not without its challenges, the worldwide energy transition to increased renewable energy capacity is in full swing. According to a recent report from Ember, an energy think tank, solar and wind power accounted for 12% of global electricity in 2022. This year’s Global Rankings Report includes a look at the leading nations for Solar Power Installed Capacity and Wind Power Installed Capacity.
The top 3 nations for Solar Power Installed Capacity are: China, United States, and Japan, followed by Germany, India, Italy, South Korea, Vietnam, France, and Netherlands. For Wind Power Installed Capacity, China and the U.S. are leading and followed by Germany, India, Spain, United Kingdom, Brazil, France, Canada, and Sweden.
Metro Rankings: Manufacturing Hubs, Industrial Parks, Logistics Leaders
Locations in Midwest and across the South dominate categories focused on making and moving goods. Read more…
Canada: Population Growth, EV Infrastructure
Rankings focused on Canada this year due to the nation’s burgeoning economy, reflected by its top 3 spot in the Worldwide FDI ranking. The five Fastest Growing Provinces by rate of population growth (2016-21) are: Yukon; Prince Edward Island; British Columbia; Ontario; and Manitoba. With significant capital investment into the country from the EV industry, the rankings take a look at which provinces lead with EV charging infrastructure: Quebec, Ontario, and British Columbia.
Smart Cities Taking Hold
The role of technology to improve quality of life, economic growth, and related factors is recognized as key to an effective strategy. Smart cities employ technology to impact the lives of their citizens in myriad ways, including expanding sustainability achievements. This year’s Smart Cities ranked in the top 10 are: Zurich (Switzerland); Oslo (Norway); Copenhagen (Denmark); New York City (United States); Toronto, Ontario (Canada); London (United Kingdom); Shanghai (China); Singapore; Seoul (South Korea); and Hamburg (Germany).
