Glasgow's path to become a carbon neutral city has been laid out in a new report.

The city's Climate Emergency Working Group, which consists of representation from all four political groups at the council, citizen activist groups and Glasgow Chamber of Commerce, has delivered over 60 recommendations on the report.

It looks to target carbon neutrality in Glasgow by the year 2030 - seven years ahead of the previous 2037 target.

Established in February, the group was given just six months in which to draw its conclusions and report back to the council in recognition of the need to respond to the growing concerns of the impending climate crisis. The council formally declared there was a climate emergency at a meeting of all 83 city councillors in May this year.

Recommendations detailed in the report include:


• the low energy efficiency of the city's older housing stock to be addressed;

• an end to single-use plastic and a plastic free shopping zone;

• a major tree planting programme;

• a wider roll-out of car free zones at schools and other locations;

• green economy apprenticeships.

They range from issues such as energy use, roads and transport, development, infrastructure and planning, waste management, food and pensions.

Councillor Martha Wardrop, who chaired the Climate Emergency Working Group, said: "As chair of the working group, I welcome the increased ambition for Glasgow to be carbon neutral by 2030, having driven this vital climate emergency work in the city. Delivering that vision will require working with the business community, third sector, communities and citizens to achieve a just transition.

"With only ten years to make radical changes we need action to start right away. For instance, there are already plans for a city-wide network of segregated cycle ways and so there are areas where we can move quickly. The climate emergency must also be placed front and centre of Glasgow's economy and so a revised economic strategy for the city is essential. But we also need the Scottish and UK Governments to do their bit, particularly on decarbonising how we heat our homes.

"There was also a clear message from the group that the council works with other authorities to shift its pension funds away from fossil fuels. With Glasgow looking likely to host next year's UN Climate Summit, that's the sort of radical action we need if we're going to back up ambitious targets with real change in the wider economy."

(CM/JG)