Glasgow Green - march for the climate
Glasgow River Festival July 2008. Attribution: euphbass
  • A community food supply, wickedleeks.riverford.co.uk (Jul 31, 2023) — Urban farms are bypassing supermarkets to create their own local food systems and connect communities. Robbie Armstrong

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Glasgow (UK: GLA(H)Z-goh, GLA(H)SS-; Scots: Glesca [ˈɡleskə] or Glesga [ˈɡlezɡə]; Scottish Gaelic: Glaschu [ˈkl̪ˠas̪əxu]) is the most populous city in Scotland and the third-most populous city in the United Kingdom, as well as being the 27th largest city by population in Europe. In 2022, it had an estimated population as a defined locality of 632,350 and anchored an urban settlement of 1,028,220. The city was made a county of itself in 1893, prior to which it had been in the historic county of Lanarkshire (or Clydesdale). The city now forms the Glasgow City Council area, one of the 32 council areas of Scotland, and is administered by Glasgow City Council.

Glasgow has the largest economy in Scotland and the third-highest GDP per capita of any city in the UK. Glasgow's major academic and cultural institutions enjoy international reputations including the Glasgow School of Art founded in 1845, University of Glasgow founded in 1451, University of Strathclyde with its origins in 1796, Glasgow Caledonian University, City of Glasgow College, Royal College of Physicians & Surgeons of Glasgow founded in 1599, Royal Conservatoire of Scotland, Burrell Collection, Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum, Royal Scottish National Orchestra, BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra, Scottish Ballet and Scottish Opera. The city was the European Capital of Culture in 1990 and is notable for its architecture, culture, media, music scene, sports clubs and transport connections. It is the fifth-most visited city in the United Kingdom. The city hosted the 2021 United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP26) at its main events venue, the SEC Centre. Glasgow hosted the 2014 Commonwealth Games and the first European Championships in 2018, and was one of the host cities for UEFA Euro 2020. The city is also well known in the sporting world for football, particularly for the Old Firm rivalry.

Glasgow grew from a small rural settlement close to Glasgow Cathedral and descending to the River Clyde to become the largest seaport in Scotland, and tenth largest by tonnage in Britain. Expanding from the medieval bishopric and episcopal burgh (subsequently royal burgh), and the later establishment of the University of Glasgow in the 15th century, it became a major centre of the Scottish Enlightenment in the 18th century. From the 18th century onwards, the city also grew as one of Britain's main hubs of oceanic trade with North America and the West Indies; soon followed by the Orient, India, and China. With the onset of the Industrial Revolution, the population and economy of Glasgow and the surrounding region expanded rapidly to become one of the world's pre-eminent centres of chemicals, textiles and engineering; most notably in the shipbuilding and marine engineering industry, which produced many innovative and famous vessels. Glasgow was the "Second City of the British Empire" for much of the Victorian and Edwardian eras.

In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, Glasgow's population grew rapidly, reaching a peak of 1,127,825 people in 1938 (with a higher density and within a smaller territory than in subsequent decades). The population was greatly reduced following comprehensive urban renewal projects in the 1960s which resulted in large-scale relocation of people to designated new towns, such as Cumbernauld, Livingston, East Kilbride and peripheral suburbs, followed by successive boundary changes. Over 1,000,000 people live in the Greater Glasgow contiguous urban area, while the wider Glasgow City Region is home to over 1,800,000 people, equating to around 33% of Scotland's population. The city has one of the highest densities of any locality in Scotland at 4,023/km2.

Community resources[edit | edit source]

Govanhill Baths[edit | edit source]

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The People's Pantry - Tackling Food Inequality in Govanhill Glasgow
Authors: Govanhill Baths, Apr 19, 2021

The Bowling Green[edit | edit source]

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The Bowling Green - An Introduction
Authors: The Bowling Green, Pollokshields, Aug 3, 2020

Networks and sustainability initiatives[edit | edit source]

The Centre for Human Ecology is an independent academic institute based in Glasgow, Scotland. It was founded in 1972 by Conrad Hal Waddington at the University of Edinburgh.

Climate action[edit | edit source]

The 2021 United Nations Climate Change Conference, more commonly referred to as COP26, was the 26th United Nations Climate Change conference, held at the SEC Centre in Glasgow, Scotland, United Kingdom, from 31 October to 13 November 2021.

In the midst of the conference, on 6 November 2021, a march against inadequate action at the conference, as well as for other climate change-related issues, became the largest protest in Glasgow since anti-Iraq War marches in 2003. Additional rallies took place in 100 other countries.

Ecological restoration[edit | edit source]

  • Blue Green Glasgow, community interest company restoring post-industrial land in Glasgow by building wetland, or blue-green, ecosystems for climate adaptation, engaging communities, and the creation of sustainable jobs. Phase-1 of The Govan Wetlands Project uses a wetland ecosystem to capture carbon, rehabilitate soils, and support wildlife. The Govan Wetlands site will feature regenerative farming practices that put nature at the heart of food production and the carbon draw-down as wetlands capture on average 30-times more carbon than rainforests. The project was developed in partnership with the University of Strathclyde, the University of Edinburgh, Positive BioCarbon, Plantimate, GE Current, and Seawater Solutions. The Govan Wetlands project is a part of a wider regeneration of the historic Govan Shipyards which is to include the development of a new sustainable neighbourhood, historic preservation initiatives, and the revitalisation of activities on this long-abandoned site in the heart of Glasgow.,[1] added 16:59, 4 November 2021 (UTC)

Community involvement[edit | edit source]

Arts, sport and culture[edit | edit source]

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GalGael 2018
Authors: GalGael, Apr 10, 2018
  • GalGael, working community based in Glasgow. The community works together on demanding common tasks, such as building boats that demonstrate ways of living with more humanity in our times. added 13:42, 26 October 2021 (UTC)

Community energy[edit | edit source]

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Community Share Offer
Authors: Glasgow Community Energy, May 18, 2021
  • Glasgow Community Energy, community-owned renewable energy co-operative – a project developed by local people on a largely voluntary basis over the last six years. In 2020, during the coronavirus lockdown, Glasgow Community Energy successfully installed solar panels on the roofs of two schools in Glasgow:

Community safety[edit | edit source]

Glasgow City of Sanctuary

Cycling activism[edit | edit source]

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Bikes for Refugees founder honoured for pandemic work with bespoke The National Lottery bench
Authors: Beat Media Client, Nov 18, 2020
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South West Community Cycles, added 16:07, 14 May 2020 (UTC)

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The Glasgow Bike Station

Food activism[edit | edit source]

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  • Locavore, added 14:08, 9 November 2021 (UTC)

Land[edit | edit source]

Community Ownership Hub, Glasgow and Clyde Valley, communityownership.scot, "We help communities purchase land and buildings, and promote land reform." A pilot project by Community Land Scotland.

Reduce, reuse, repair and recycle[edit | edit source]

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The repair shop aiming to fix throwaway culture
Authors: BBC News, Jul 26, 2021
  • Remade Network, affordable community repair services of tech, electrical and textiles items, repair and reuse hubs and kiosks across the city from Govanhill in the South to Cranhill in the East, added 17:42, 3 January 2022 (UTC)

News and comment[edit | edit source]

2022

  • Glasgow’s Urban Transport Revolution, bellacaledonia.org.uk (Nov 11, 2022)
  • How to capture satellite images in your backyard – and contribute to a snapshot of the climate crisis, The Conversation (Feb 23, 2022)

2021

Locavore, and Glasgow Community Energy, show off the city's appetite for green businesses, under a global spotlight, Nov 6[2]

A note to #COP26 delegates in Glasgow: make sure you visit Govan's Centre for Human Ecology, radically eco since 1972, Oct 22[3]

The repair shop trying to fix throwaway culture, Jul 26[4]

In Glasgow's Maryhill area, locals demand an eco-housing and sustainable energy development. Will the Council listen? Jan 23[5]

2015

Scots area sets own currency with 'Govanhill Pound', September 24[6]

2014

Glasgow becomes first university in Europe to divest from fossil fuels, October 8[7]

Bike-hire scheme to be launched across Glasgow in May, March 18[8]

Resources[edit | edit source]

Citizens data initiative[edit | edit source]

Open data Glasgow

Maps[edit | edit source]

Travel to Glasgow city centre, arrive by express bus, park and ride, subway, airport bus, train

Past events[edit | edit source]

2015

Glasgow's Green Year

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External links[edit | edit source]

Wikipedia: Glasgow

References[edit | edit source]

Discussion[View | Edit]

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