Glasgow, United Kingdom

Glasgow City

Glasgow is excited to participate in the GreenDEMO project. We are on a journey to deliver Net Zero by 2030, and we know that will mean that our ways of administering the City will have to adapt and change to rise to the challenge. We are excited to see the steps that our comparator Cities will take, and how we can adapt those to meet Glasgow’s context and needs. Addressing, mitigating and preventing catastrophic climate change is a shared endeavour, and we are proud to stand alongside fellow cities facing the same challenges.

Glasgow is a resilient, welcoming, and culturally vibrant city, known for its humor, diversity, and green character—reflected in its Gaelic name “Gleschuinn,” meaning “dear green place.” It is a city shaped by historical migration and marked by a youthful population, standing out in an otherwise aging Scottish context. Glasgow embraces innovation and experimentation, especially in its transition from a post-industrial to a post-carbon future. Despite its charm and energy, the city is deeply affected by stark contrasts in wealth and opportunity, with areas of deprivation often located next to affluent neighborhoods.

Glasgow faces significant climate-related inequalities, including fuel poverty, flood and heat risks, and uneven access to quality green spaces. Social disparities are compounded by generational poverty and a wide educational gap. Vulnerable groups include people with disabilities, single parents, young mothers, and ethnic minorities. While the city has embedded the SDGs into its strategic planning and climate agenda, translating these high-level goals into everyday relevance remains a challenge. Citizen participation in local elections is low, and a digital divide persists. Trust in institutions hinges on transparent, accessible, and data-driven decision-making, and there is a need to elevate grassroots engagement to the city level.

Glasgow is strengthening its community engagement through regular neighborhood meetings and participatory mapping of climate vulnerabilities. The city leverages arts and culture to make climate change relatable and to empower citizens. It is also fostering cross-departmental collaboration and working with the University of Glasgow on the GALLANT project to co-create progress indicators. GreenDEMO supports Glasgow’s efforts to pilot new tools and governance strategies, learn from peer cities, and bring curiosity and creativity into policy-making. By linking climate action to everyday concerns—like paying bills—GreenDEMO helps make sustainability meaningful and inclusive for all Glaswegians.

Demo CitiesFellow CitiesMannheimBambergPoznanSchaerbeekAalborgGlasgowBristolAarhus