The future we choose
A Glasgow City Region flourishing in the future climate
It is 2050. We successfully strengthened Glasgow City Region’s resilience to climate change and are flourishing in a new climate. In the 2020s, the challenge of the COVID-19 pandemic resulted in social renewal and a green recovery, bolstered by renewed ambition at COP26 in Glasgow, which strengthened the delivery of net-zero carbon emission targets for Glasgow City Region and Scotland. Media and cultural organizations joined efforts to imagine and help develop a better future. Buoyed by the progress of the 2020s, civic society continued to step up; more people took on active roles to enable their communities to become climate resilient and society collaborated to reduce emissions and achieve net-zero. New groups emerged and engaged, whilst existing organizations and communities in Glasgow City Region took bold steps to redraw the landscape, directing resources and assets towards a climate-ready future. Government policies focused on ensuring well-being in a changing climate and long-term societal and economic resilience to several potential shocks and stresses. As a result, Glasgow City Region thrives in 2050; it is a great place to live and work in, and to visit. Stepping outside, the air is clean and fresh due to the delivery of our net-zero ambitions, as well as from the abundant trees and green spaces which help keep the city and towns cool on hot days, regulate flows of water, and reduce flood risks. Most people get around by walking, biking, scooting or public transport, in a climate resilient transport network. Although flooding, heatwaves and storms still happen, infrastructure was modified to cope with their impacts and the routine plans established allow normal daily life to continue, supported by strong, resilient communities. In the early 2020s, local governments, businesses and community groups collaborated closely. Responding to the changing river and coastline, they reshaped their local places and agreed how to best manage land over the long-term. Businesses and communities responded to strong public sector leadership and market signals, in turn accelerating public action. As a result, risks are reduced and building insurance is more affordable due to the combination of public investment, early warning and plans in place. Local companies, including major multinationals, mainstreamed climate risks in their strategies in the 2020s, and now there is public and private investment in climate resilience, helping the region cope with the shocks and stresses of extreme weather events. Improved quality of life and enhanced resilience has also helped attract new investments into the region over the more recent decades. Businesses, organizations and communities have transformed, having honed their skills and knowledge to become climate ready. The transition created green jobs in climate change adaptation and today there is a thriving sector dedicated to managing risks and realizing climate opportunities. In the 2020s it felt uncertain whether climate change would reduce the opportunities for the next generation, but the changes started then have led to a bright future for those in Glasgow City Region. Today, Glasgow City Region is seen as a centre of excellence on climate adaptation; our thriving community of adaptation experts provide support and evidence to other city regions around the world.
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