Glasgow declared an ecological emergency in 2019, leading to the council’s Climate Emergency Working Group generating the ‘Climate Plan’. This plan contains 61 suggestions that the city must take onboard if it wants to reduce carbon emissions by 2030, 15 years before the Scottish Government’s own target.
The Climate Plan paints a vision for what the city could achieve if it remains committed to becoming more sustainable. It sets a goal for businesses, communities and agencies around the city to unite to tackle this issue efficiently.
In 2021, Glasgow hosted Cop26 at the Scottish Event Campus (SEC), where several steps were taken to prepare for a more sustainable future, not just for the city, but globally as well. The conference included nations coming to an agreement to phase out coal powder for the first time, and international carbon trading rules were finalised. These are crucial factors that highlight progress is being made towards tackling climate change.
Despite these positive changes that the council have made, 2030 is fast approaching, and there’s so much the city still needs to approve on at a rapid pace to make these goals a reality, which raises concern.
I spoke to Danielle Calderwood, an Environmental Management graduate, who is experiencing her own anxieties surrounding Glasgow’s Climate Plan: “I think Cop26 has put a lot of pressure on Glasgow to lead by example and, although Glasgow City Council have been heading in the right direction with their decision-making, there’s more to be done.
“There is a lack of knowledge still in terms of recycling rates, and these need to be increased. Littering is also a huge issue and is something that children must be taught from an early age, so maybe more advertisements around the city would encourage this”.
Danielle also addressed the city’s transport infrastructure, which is a hurdle for the council that commonly concerns residents: “Car ownership had reached a record high in Scotland in 2023. This is something that is yet to be combatted and is concerning as millions of us rely on our cars as our transport.
“I think we need to compare our city to those European cities that have cheap and reliable transport infrastructure, which will take the reliance away from having your own car”.
Danielle did highlight that the most frightening question for her in Glasgow’s race to be crowned a net zero carbon city is how they are going to gather the necessary funds to achieve it.
“This is what causes me anxiety, climate projects cost lots of money, especially when it comes to upgrading buildings, investing in transport infrastructure and renewable energy.”
According to the council, it is estimated that an investment of £23.5bn would be needed to meet a 60% reduction in emissions. If this decrease amplifies to 80%, then the investment would need to be escalated to an estimated £36.8bn. It all depends on what methods will be carried out, but in the meantime, the city has formed a Green Investment Team to find funding in the private sector for crucial climate action.
Danielle said: “This is what causes me anxiety, climate projects cost lots of money, especially when it comes to upgrading buildings, investing in transport infrastructure and renewable energy.
“Councils don’t have unlimited budgets, and we’re all aware that Glasgow City Council has its own budgeting issues right now, so I do worry how these expenses would impact myself and others as time is running out”.
In the meantime, the council are urging communities to come together to promote sustainable living throughout the city by getting involved in community-led projects. These range from the Glasgow Community Energy Project, where volunteers use proceeds generated from selling their renewable energy to enable them to offer grants to community activities to tackle environmental injustice.
There are also Climate Action Hubs located across the city to encourage citizens to connect with one another to support Glasgow City Council in its fight against climate change.
