Glasgow will now become the first Scottish city to sign up and only the third in the UK after London and Bristol.
The cities who sign up to the compact are committed to reducing their greenhouse gas emission and advocate for action on climate change.
Cllr Alistair Watson, Glasgow City Council’s Executive Member for Sustainability and Transport, said: “Glasgow’s aim is to become one of the most sustainable and resilient cities in Europe. We are already a hub for renewables engineering and innovation. We are using this expertise to explore the potential in a range of technologies which will help us cut emissions.
“We believe the Compact of Mayors will be a great opportunity for Glasgow to contribute to the global climate change agenda and to also share best practise with our global neighbours.
“No one can afford to ignore the effects of climate change and Glasgow is determined to play its part by reducing our carbon emissions, improving air quality and fostering the creation of more renewable energy projects and jobs in the city.”
The invitation to join the compact, has come from Michael Bloomberg, former Mayor of New York City and the now United Nations Secretary-General’s Special Envoy for Cities and Climate Change. It was approved and given the go ahead by councillors today (Thursday 29 October 2015).
Glasgow has already made pledges along with other EU cities to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions and to progress climate change adaptation. This invitation will offer Glasgow an opportunity to play its part within a broader global alliance of cities.
The Compact of Mayors provides hard evidence that cities are climate leaders and that local action can have a significant global impact. The compact establishes a common platform to capture the impact of cities’ actions through standardised measurement of emissions and climate risk and consistent, public reporting of their efforts.
It is also recognition for the Sustainable Glasgow partnership, which aims to make the city one of the greenest in Europe. The Glasgow City Council-led initiative was formed in 2010 to make Glasgow a world-leading centre for sustainable policy, innovation and action. It has partners from housing, communities, business, universities, enterprise and education.
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Sustainable Glasgow