Glasgow unveils Green Deal draft to reach net-zero emissions by 2030

Glasgow City Council has unveiled its draft plan for a new Green Deal that would see the city reach net-zero emissions by 2030 while also improving resiliency and quality of living.


Glasgow unveils Green Deal draft to reach net-zero emissions by 2030

Glasgow is gearing up to host COP26 in November

The new Green Deal document acts as a nine-year plan to transform the city and its economy in a way that combats the climate emergency and builds back from job losses and risks caused by the coronavirus pandemic.

It is headlined by a commitment for Glasgow to reach net-zero emissions by 2030. This would be delivered through an “equitable” and climate-resilient transition that would boost job growth and strengthen the city’s economy.

Councillor Susan Aitken Leader of the Council said: “The scale of change towards a net-zero carbon and climate-resilient economy is orders of magnitude greater than the challenges our ‘Glasgow Fathers’ faced. Addressing the scale of the challenge at the same time as delivering economic restructuring and recovery requires us to innovate and collaborate like never before; to tap into and harness that same, visionary, aspirational and transformative spirit which has seen Glasgow prosper successfully over hundreds of years.

“This will not be easy – and indeed no city has all the answers about what a new economic model looks like. But, acknowledging it is needed and beginning the journey is the hardest part. So, I hope this document gives you hope – hope that, along with others we can meet the defining challenge of the generation, and that Glasgow City Council is committed to playing its part. I look forward to hearing your thoughts on how we make it happen.”

Climate risks are projected to impact the city’s regional GDP by 2.5% annually by 2070. The Green Deal aims to combat this, with the draft document claiming that accelerating climate action towards the net-zero target could create more than 14,500 additional jobs for the city.

The draft Green Deal roadmap follows the launch of Glasgow’s £30bn ‘Greenprint for Investment’; a portfolio of 10 climate investment projects to boost the city’s 2030 Net-Zero goal.

The Green Deal commits the council to co-designing a full technical route map for net-zero emissions, which will be aligned to Scotland’s Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC), as part of a consultation with citizens and businesses. This will also consider adaptation and mitigation against climate risks. No date has been set for the consultation or the publication of the route map.

The timing of the document is key. Glasgow is gearing up to host COP26 in November.

It has been a bumper week of green policy announcements as the UK readies itself to host the two-week climate summit. edie has recapped the key changes from the Net-Zero Strategy, Heat and Buildings Strategy, Environment Bill and HM Treasury.

Click here to read the round-up.

Matt Mace

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