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Climate Change & the Ecological Crisis

Humanity is facing the twin and interconnected challenges of a climate emergency and an ecological crisis.  Both must be addressed with urgency in order that the world avoids catastrophic climate change and irreversible biodiversity loss.

The effects in Scotland are already being felt as we experience wetter, milder winters and hotter, drier summers, combined with more extreme weather events.  Both of these trends are projected to continue into the future.

For people in our region this has the potential to seriously impact on the economy and peoples’ health and well-being. For wildlife climate change is affecting the habitats species need to feed, breed and disperse through the landscape, worsening decades of habitat loss and fragmentation as the result of human activities. 

It is clear that both people and wildlife will have to adapt in the coming decades. The Green Network has a key role being uniquely placed to address both crises with targeted action.  
 

The Green Network will play a vital role helping the region adapt to the climate challenge and protect wildlife

Climate Change - how the Green Network can help

The Green Network comprises assets such as parks, wildlife habitats, ponds and street trees.  Ensuring these are in the right place and well managed will help Glasgow City Region adapt to the challenge of climate change.

THE ISSUES

HOW A HIGH QUALITY GREEN NETWORK CAN HELP

Too much carbon being emitted heating the planet

Capture and store carbon through new and enhanced habitat

Increased flooding across large parts of the region 

Rural habitat creation and management and increased urban green infrastructure to help reduce flooding 

Urban overheating

Urban Green Infrastructure to off-set temperature rises

Poor air quality

Increased trees and other vegetation to remove airbourne pollution

Reliance on cars for short journeys using unnecessary fossil fuels as well as opportunity costs for health and well-being Connecting the places people need to go via greenspaces and Green Active Travel routes allowing safe off-road journeys


Ecological Crisis - how the Green Network can help

The Green Network can help protect and enhance habitats to allow species to thrive across Glasgow City Region.

THE ISSUES

HOW A HIGH QUALITY GREEN NETWORK CAN HELP

Habitats changing as a result of changing weather patterns

Positive management of existing habitat and targeted habitat creation to ensure the landscape is permeable for species to migrate

Habitat fragmentation as a result of urban expansion and agricultural intensification

Positive management of existing habitat and targeted habitat creation to ensure the landscape is permeable for species to migrate

Negative pressures on ecosystems, habitats and species such as pollution, unsustainable land use, grazing

Rewilding of land under pressure

Development reducing habitat and creating barriers to movement for species

Development delivers positive impacts for biodiversity through integration of well-designed Green Infrastructure

People having limited ability to interact with nature

Creation of accessible wildlife areas in and around urban areas

 

Greenhouse gas emissions are changing the global climate. We are already experiencing some of this change in Scotland but we can expect far more in the future. - Climate Ready Clyde

The importance of the natural environment to Climate Change

The importance of the natural environment to Climate Change

The Blueprint is Glasgow City Region’s strategic masterplan for delivery of the Green Network and it consists of:

  • a Strategic Access Network, and
  • a Strategic Habitat Network.

Crucially for climate change and biodiversity loss, the Strategic Habitat Network will help guide action to protect, manage and enhance habitat and habitat networks across the region’s eight local authorities, providing benefits for people and wildlife.

The Strategic Habitat Network will help people and wildlife adapt to Climate Change and the Ecological Crisis

To learn more about our Blueprint click here.

 

Key delivery projects: Introducing the Clyde Climate Forest

The GCV Green Network Partnership will work hard to ensure the City Region's Green Network is delivered. One such delivery project is the Clyde Climate Forest. The Clyde Climate Forest will provide a range of nature based solutions to the twin and linked challenges of a changing climate and ecological collapse.

  • Clyde Climate Forest - Introduction

    The Clyde Climate Forest will harness the current enthusiasm for tree planting and associated resources and will seek to channel them into worthwhile and well-considered tree planting projects.

    Planting will deliver a broad range of climate and ecological benefits to Glasgow City Region.

    To understand the context of the project watch our full animation here

  • Clyde Climate Forest

    City-wide tree canopy cover is a useful indicator of the extent of tree presence across a city. Research suggests that even moderate increases in canopy cover within cities can aid adaptation to the adverse effects projected under a changing climate.

    Canopy Cover is an easily accessible measure that can be used to estimate the ecosystem services provided by urban trees. The Clyde Climate Forest will assess the extent of canopy cover across Glasgow City Region and identify opportunities to increase canopy cover through new tree planting, particularly in areas of deprivation and at risk from the impacts of climate change.

    To understand the context of the project watch our full animation here

  • Clyde Climate Forest

    There are nearly 29,000 hectares of broadleaved woodland habitat in Glasgow City Region, occupying nearly 9% of its area. However, through urban development and agricultural land use, these woodlands are not well connected making them, and the biodiversity that relies upon them, at risk from further development and a changing climate.

    The Clyde Climate Forest will assess the existing woodland habitat networks and identify where new woodland planting will make connections that provide a potential migration route for woodland species from the headwaters of the River Clyde through to the Loch Lomond and Trossachs National Park.

    To understand the context of the project watch our full animation here

  • Clyde Climate Forest

    The region’s Forest and Woodland Strategy identifies the extent of opportunity to create new woodlands across Glasgow City Region, whether this is on marginal agricultural land in Glasgow’s rural hinterland, on abandoned open cast coalmine sites, or on urban vacant and derelict land. The Clyde Climate Forest will identify where woodland creation will deliver good carbon sequestration opportunities. Of particular interest will be land which is owned by public bodies which could be the focus of carbon off-setting tree planting to assist those public bodies to reach their net zero targets.

    To understand the context of the project watch our full animation here

The GCV Green Network is inspirational - reaching out to partners and reaching out to Nature to deliver practical solutions that address the climate and ecological crisis and in turn make all our lives so much better.

James Curran, Chair of Climate Ready Clyde.