Glasgow joins Concordat for Clyde Climate Forest

Published: 27 January 2023

Glasgow is formally joining forces with seven other local authorities in a bid to plant millions of trees across the Clyde Valley. 

The Clyde Climate Forest, which is being coordinated through the Glasgow City Region Cabinet, will see woodland with 18 million trees created across the region over the next decade as a response to the climate and ecological emergencies. Following a decision by the council's City Administration Committee, Glasgow is now a full signatory of the Clyde Climate Forest Concordat alongside other council's in the Glasgow City Region, which also includes East and West Dunbartonshire, North and South Lanarkshire, Renfrewshire, East Renfrewshire and Inverclyde.

As part of Glasgow's own Tree Plan, the council has already identified several communities within the city where planting for the Clyde Climate Forest will take place. These communities include Bridgeton, Dalmarnock, Govan, Levern and District and Possilpark.

Councillor Angus Millar, City Convener for Climate, sees the spread of new woodland across the Glasgow City Region as crucial to the wider effort to mitigate carbon emissions and also strengthen our defences against the impact of climate change.

Councillor Millar said: "Trees, woodlands and forests have a vital role to play tackling the climate emergency and working together with partners as part of the Clyde Climate Forest will be a boost to our city's considerable tree-planting efforts. 

"Tree-planting as part of the Clyde Climate Forest will target some of the city's more deprived areas, helping tackle the disproportionate impact of climate change on these communities. Extending tree canopy in these areas will provide additional shade from the projected increase in temperature, but also help to alleviate the risk of localised flooding.

"I am very pleased that Glasgow has agreed to join the Clyde Climate Forest Concordat and we will be working closely with our council partners to deliver a greener, more climate-resilient Glasgow city region."

Under the concordat, the council has been asked to commit to a range of actions that promote tree planting across the city, including working towards achieving the globally recognised status as a 'Tree City of the World'.

Full details can be found in the paper presented to the City Administration Committee, which can accessed through this link.