Glasgow is an emerging leader in sustainability, the green economy and eco living.

Glasgow’s early adoption of sustainable policy in various industries and its leadership on climate and environmental agendas, has firmly established it as a city that leads by example when it comes to sustainability. As an early mover in this space, Glasgow City Region is undertaking widespread transformation to both adapt to and mitigate against climate change. With a binding commitment to become a Net Zero Carbon city by 2030, Glasgow can claim several UK and European “firsts”. Such as being the first city outside London to introduce a low-emission zone, the first to introduce an electric bus fleet to its airport car parks and the first European convention bureau to receive a Green Tourism award. Glasgow’s green credentials are very strong, even by European standards and are set to grow even further as a result of significant investment in the regional Green Network. This is enhanced by a diverse range of pipeline projects of scale openly inviting green commercial investment. The city’s recent hosting of COP26 was an important watershed in enabling Glasgow to communicate these sustainability advantages to the world and provided a window of opportunity for Glasgow to strengthen its appeal to talent and businesses serious about their ESG commitment. It has established a timely platform to showcase the strength and depth of the city’s base of innovative start-ups working to create a sustainable impact from emerging technologies.

"As part of a £250,000 partnership with the University of Strathclyde and the Universities of Berkeley and Stanford, Glasgow is currently installing a network of sensors on school roofs to monitor emissions and air quality."

Reference

"Glasgow has submitted plans for the UK’s 2nd plastic-to-hydrogen project, to create hydrogen to power buses, cars and HGVs."

Reference

"Glasgow recently hosted the 26th Conference of the Parties, the most important climate change summit since the 2015 Paris Agreement and the largest event to have ever been hosted in Scotland, with nearly 40,000 registered delegates including 120 world leaders."

Reference

"Glasgow Convention Bureau was the 1st ever convention bureau to receive a Green Tourism Award."

Reference

"Glasgow is home to the 2nd largest onshore windfarm in Europe."

Reference

"At 32%, Glasgow has the second largest proportion of greenspace for its residents of any European city."

Reference

"Glasgow has been declared a Global Green City by the Global Forum on Human Settlements (GFHS) having scored highly on a wide range of criteria including transportation, the economy and low carbon & energy efficiency."

Reference

"Glasgow Chamber member ACS Clothing has become one of the first 40+ founding signatories for Textiles 2030, the UK’s most ambitious voluntary agreement for circular fashion."

Reference

"With the backing of Scottish Power, Glasgow have pledged to become the UK’s first carbon neutral city by 2030."

Reference

"Glasgow Airport is the first city in the UK to introduce an electric bus fleet to its car park operations."

Reference

"Glasgow is a top 3 UK city in a new study of the greenest hotspots nationally (based on electric vehicle charging point coverage, recycling rate, plastic use & disposable fashion consumption)."

Reference

"Glasgow is the UK’s 2nd best core city for vegans and vegetarians."

Reference

"As of 2018, 40% of the city's hotels had achieved a Green Tourism award."

Reference

"Glasgow is home to the UK’s largest annual renewable energy event, All Energy, which attracted more than 7,000 attendees annually (pre-COVID)."

Reference

"As of 2017, over 40% of residents in the City Region lived within a 5-minute walk of a green space."

Reference

"South West Scotland supports over 80,000 jobs related to the circular economy (>7.5% of all jobs). with the majority of these in Glasgow City."

Reference

"Glasgow is in the process of investing £1.1 billion over 35 years to expand the Glasgow Clyde Valley Green Network."

Reference

"Circular Glasgow was shortlisted as a finalist for a World Economic Forum (WEF) Public Sector award - a global award that celebrates its contribution to the circular economy."

Reference

"Glasgow introduced the first low-emission zone outside of London at the end of 2018."

Reference

"Glasgow has ranked third among most the green places to live and work in the UK. Aspects such as supply of environmentally friendly office space, ultra-low emissions vehicle usage and access to electric vehicle charging stations were considered. It also reviewed supply of cycle parking spaces at rail stations and air quality at these places across the UK.

Reference

"Around 18 million trees are to be planted across Glasgow and the west over the next decade to expand woodland areas while tackling climate change. Glasgow’s city region’s forest and woodlands currently cover around 60,000 hectares but a new strategy highlights that a further 9,000 hectares could be planted an increase of 21% by 2030."

Reference

"In 2020, Glasgow won the top award at the Global Settlements forum and was named Global Green City."

Reference

"Glasgow is the least vulnerable city to the effects of climate change among more than 500 global cities, and has the 4th lowest exposure to environmental risks overall."

Reference

"Glasgow is in the top 5% of cities globally for its low annual average exposure to fine particulate air pollution (PM2.5)."

Reference

"Glasgow is home to the largest concentration of green jobs in Scotland."

Reference

"Glasgow is home to the world’s largest fleet of hydrogen powered waste collection vehicles."

Reference

"Glasgow Airport is currently developing Scotland’s largest airport-based onsite solar farm."

Reference

"Glasgow is 9th in the world for its low average air, light and noise pollution."

Reference

"Glasgow ranks as 9th globally for uptake of green real estate construction techniques."

Reference

"Glasgow is in the top 10% of cities globally for the share of people living within in close proximity to a car-free zone."

Reference

"Glasgow is 8th most sustainable city in Europe – or 2nd in the UK – in a new index that takes into consideration renewable energy consumption targets, sustainability of public transport, concentration of public electric vehicle charging stations, single use plastic usage, air quality, extent of climate plans, carbon neutrality targets and waste policy."

Reference

"Glasgow is in the top 20 cities globally for clean air."

Reference

"Glasgow is in the top 20% of cities globally for the protection of its urban tree canopy coverage over the past 20 years."

Reference

"Residents in Glasgow are more satisfied with water quality than in any other UK core city."

Reference

"Glasgow is 2nd among UK core cities for the perceived quality of its green spaces and parks."

Reference

"Glasgow has the 2nd highest number of BREEAM-rated office buildings outside of London in the UK."

Reference

"Glasgow has the 2nd highest proportion of residents with ambitions to become more eco-friendly out of 17 UK cities."

Reference

"Glasgow is 3rd in a new study of the UK cities with the highest adoption of eco-friendly home retrofits."

Reference

"Glasgow is 4th in the UK for online interest in green issues relative to its size."

Reference

"Glasgow is home to the 4th most sustainable population in the UK, and ranks 1st for its uptake of smart meters."

Reference

"Glasgow has the 5th most sustainable urban rail system in the UK."

Reference

"The Glasgow region has over 12,000 renewable energy sites, producing nearly 4,000,000 MWh of energy annually – more than any other UK city."

Reference

"In Glasgow, on average 80% of children live within 400 m of publicly accessible green space (e.g. public parks/gardens or residential amenity green space)."

Reference

"Glasgow has become the first convention bureau in the world to join Tourism Declares a Climate Emergency, which recognises tourism’s impact on the climate."

Reference

"The City of Glasgow is 4th among the 11 UK core cities for the proportion of innovative tech firms specialising in low carbon sectors."

Reference

"Glasgow was the UK’s first EarthCheck Certified destination."

Reference

"Glasgow was the first UK city to launch a deposit scheme for single-use coffee cups."

Reference

"Glasgow was one of the first 32 members of the Rockefeller Foundation’s 100 Resilient Cities Network."

Reference

"Glasgow was the first UK city and only the second in Europe to conduct a “city circle scan”."

Reference

"It is predicted that there will be £1.5bn of new investments in low-carbon and renewable energy fields in Glasgow the next 10 years."

Reference

"Glasgow was the first city in Scotland to implement a low emissions zone."

Reference

"In 2021, the city was awarded a Sustainable Food Places Bronze Award."

Reference

"In 2018/19, Glasgow hosted 25 energy, sustainability and carbon reduction related conferences, boosting the city’s economy by nearly £8m."

Reference

"From 2009-2021, travel by bike to Glasgow city centre increased by 165% - or 14% per year."

Reference

"CO2 emissions per person in Glasgow, measured as tonnes of CO2 per person per year, declined by 43% between 2005 and 2018."

Reference

"Glasgow recently became the first Scottish city to transition to all-electric Tesco home delivery fleet."

Reference

"The Circular Glasgow circular economy policy was recently shortlisted for a WEF award."

Reference

"The University of Strathclyde is leading an ambitious project to create a 100% renewable climate neutral and climate resilient area within Glasgow City Innovation District (GCID)."

Reference

"FedEx has introduced E-Cargo bikes to its Glasgow City Centre delivery fleet as a sustainable last mile delivery solution designed to meet growing demands to reduce the environmental impacts of freight transportation."

Reference

"Whitelee Wind Farm in East Renfrewshire – the UK’s largest – is set to install the country’s biggest hydrogen electrolyser to produce hydrogen for use in public transport in the region."

Reference

"Glasgow Airport has announced plans for what will be the largest solar farm at a Scottish airport. The 30-acre onsite, ground mounted solar farm will give the capability to generate enough power for the airport campus and neighbouring businesses. This is equivalent to powering almost 20% of homes in the city of Glasgow (approximately 52,000 households)."

Reference

"Glasgow is home to Scotland’s most sustainable office development, Cadworks."

Reference

"AGS Airports has formed a Scottish wind energy consortium with Katrick Technologies and the University of Strathclyde to enable a faster transition to clean power by exploiting low-level wind energy.."

Reference

"The European Commission has selected Glasgow to join its cohort of 100 EU cities on its Mission on Climate-Neutral and Smart Cities to help cities achieve climate neutrality."

Reference

"A new study has ranked Glasgow 13th out of 100 for sustainability among the world’s leading cities. Glasgow places behind only London and ahead of the rest of the UK’s cities."

Reference

"The OVO Hydro is the first arena in the world to secure A Greener Arena (AGA) certification for its commitment to sustainability."

Reference

"A University of Strathclyde-led collaboration to deliver a 100% renewable climate neutral and resilient Innovation District in Glasgow city centre has been awarded an Uncommon Collaboration grant from Dalberg Catalyst, supported by The Rockefeller Foundation as part of its Connected Leaders Platform."

Reference

"New research data from BNP Paribas Real Estate rates Glasgow as the second greenest UK city to invest."

Reference

"CO2 Emissions in Glasgow have fallen by more than 13% since 2020 and dropped by 50% since 2006."

Reference

"Glasgow is working to establish status as a National Park City - to inspire a shared vision as a greener, healthier and wilder City for everyone – presenting an exciting opportunity to join an emerging international network of cities committed to this concept."

Reference

Up Next: Share Your Inspiration

Keep Reading