The process has been led by Climate Ready Clyde; a cross-sector initiative funded by 15 member organisations, supported by the Scottish Government and managed by sustainability organisation Sniffer.

Glasgow City Region’s climate is already changing with the Region experiencing trends towards more rainfall and higher temperatures. Over the coming decades, the Region will experience more frequent and extreme heatwaves, coastal erosion and flooding. It is estimated that in less than 60 years, an extra 20,000 homes in across Glasgow and the Clyde Valley will be at risk of flooding.

The strategy has ambitious targets, which include increasing the resilience of 140,000 people living in the Region who are most vulnerable to the impacts of climate change and closing the adaptation finance gap with an additional £184m a year of investment.

Alok Sharma, president of the 26th United Nations Climate Change Conference, said: “As we approach COP26 it is very encouraging to see the Glasgow City Region, as the location of the summit, publish its new Climate Adaptation Strategy and Action Plan. We want all cities and regions around the world to raise their ambition and take action to adapt to the impacts of climate change. Heatwaves, coastal erosion and flooding are a reality for much of the UK, including this region. The time to act is now. 

“The 2020s is the pivotal decade where we must build and deliver an inclusive, climate-resilient and net zero Region. I am excited by the opportunities in the Adaptation Strategy and Action Plan and what this means for people and communities across Glasgow City Region. The Strategy recognises that social and economic factors affect how people experience climate impacts, often making existing inequalities worse.”

Councillor Susan Aitken, leader of Glasgow City Council and chair of the Glasgow City Region Cabinet, added: “This Strategy puts social justice at the heart of this transformational work, will help us build the resilience of the most vulnerable, and ensure the benefits of adaptation are widely and equitably shared. I look forward to Glasgow City Council and the wider Region mobilising to deliver it.”