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| Glasgow aims to be the UK's first 'net-zero' city | Glasgow aims to be the UK's first 'net-zero' city |
| (about 4 hours later) | |
| Glasgow has unveiled plans to become the first UK city to reduce its greenhouse emissions to net-zero. | Glasgow has unveiled plans to become the first UK city to reduce its greenhouse emissions to net-zero. |
| The city wants to reach the target before 2045, beating the Scotland-wide ambition announced by the Scottish government earlier this month. | The city wants to reach the target before 2045, beating the Scotland-wide ambition announced by the Scottish government earlier this month. |
| The plans include mass charging points for electric vehicles. | The plans include mass charging points for electric vehicles. |
| Net-zero is the point where the same volume of greenhouse gases is being emitted as is being absorbed through offsetting techniques like forestry. | Net-zero is the point where the same volume of greenhouse gases is being emitted as is being absorbed through offsetting techniques like forestry. |
| Glasgow City Council and Scottish Power say they will work on a range of programmes to help the city reach the target. | Glasgow City Council and Scottish Power say they will work on a range of programmes to help the city reach the target. |
| They hope the announcement will fire the starting gun on a "race to zero" with other cities like Edinburgh. | They hope the announcement will fire the starting gun on a "race to zero" with other cities like Edinburgh. |
| The move came after Nicola Sturgeon declared a "climate emergency" at the SNP party conference last month. | The move came after Nicola Sturgeon declared a "climate emergency" at the SNP party conference last month. |
| A week later the Scottish government said it would legislate to reduce greenhouse emissions to net-zero by 2045. | A week later the Scottish government said it would legislate to reduce greenhouse emissions to net-zero by 2045. |
| Advice from the Committee on Climate Change urged Scotland to set the target five years ahead of the UK as a whole because of its potential for planting trees. | Advice from the Committee on Climate Change urged Scotland to set the target five years ahead of the UK as a whole because of its potential for planting trees. |
| Scottish Power said renewable energy capacity had to quadruple and electricity generation needed to double before Scotland could meet the target. | Scottish Power said renewable energy capacity had to quadruple and electricity generation needed to double before Scotland could meet the target. |
| What does net-zero mean? | What does net-zero mean? |
| The terms carbon neutral and net-zero are often used interchangeably but there are differences. | The terms carbon neutral and net-zero are often used interchangeably but there are differences. |
| Carbon dioxide (CO2) is the most abundant greenhouse gas but there are others which the Scottish government counts and they are not all carbon-based. | Carbon dioxide (CO2) is the most abundant greenhouse gas but there are others which the Scottish government counts and they are not all carbon-based. |
| Therefore, some climate change campaigners prefer the term net-zero as it includes not just CO2 and methane but also nitrous oxide, which is emitted during agricultural and industrial activities as well as from fossil fuels. | Therefore, some climate change campaigners prefer the term net-zero as it includes not just CO2 and methane but also nitrous oxide, which is emitted during agricultural and industrial activities as well as from fossil fuels. |
| Simply being carbon neutral would not stop global warming because these other gases are also harmful to the atmosphere. | Simply being carbon neutral would not stop global warming because these other gases are also harmful to the atmosphere. |
| Perhaps an even better term would be "climate neutral". | Perhaps an even better term would be "climate neutral". |
| Glasgow was the location of Scotland's first low emission zone (LEZ), which intends to phase out the dirtiest buses from the city centre over five years. | Glasgow was the location of Scotland's first low emission zone (LEZ), which intends to phase out the dirtiest buses from the city centre over five years. |
| The UK's largest onshore wind farm, Whitelee, which is owned by Scottish Power, is on the outskirts of the city. | The UK's largest onshore wind farm, Whitelee, which is owned by Scottish Power, is on the outskirts of the city. |
| The focus is now expected to turn to other parts of the city's economy that can be decarbonised, such as transport and heating. | |
| Public charging | Public charging |
| Among the issues they are expected to tackle is that of electric vehicle charging. | Among the issues they are expected to tackle is that of electric vehicle charging. |
| More than 70% of the city's residents living in flats are unable to charge electric cars as they have no off-street parking. | More than 70% of the city's residents living in flats are unable to charge electric cars as they have no off-street parking. |
| Scottish Power says it is planning a charging system where people can rapidly charge their vehicles away from home - at work or at public charging locations. | Scottish Power says it is planning a charging system where people can rapidly charge their vehicles away from home - at work or at public charging locations. |
| Sites for these locations are being assessed and the scheme could become a template for other UK cities facing similar problems. | Sites for these locations are being assessed and the scheme could become a template for other UK cities facing similar problems. |
| Scottish Power chief executive Keith Anderson says Scotland was right to put itself at the front of the race to become net-zero. | Scottish Power chief executive Keith Anderson says Scotland was right to put itself at the front of the race to become net-zero. |
| "It is our hope that this declaration kick starts a race to zero with other ambitious cities, like Edinburgh, because then we will all be winners," he will tell the All Energy Conference in Glasgow later. | "It is our hope that this declaration kick starts a race to zero with other ambitious cities, like Edinburgh, because then we will all be winners," he will tell the All Energy Conference in Glasgow later. |
| "The prize is the future of our country and our planet." | "The prize is the future of our country and our planet." |
| 'Fundamental rethink' | 'Fundamental rethink' |
| But he will say that the target will not be met if "we keep inventing ways to block new renewable capacity". | But he will say that the target will not be met if "we keep inventing ways to block new renewable capacity". |
| "Onshore wind in particular has suffered as a consequence and the time has come for a fundamental rethink. | "Onshore wind in particular has suffered as a consequence and the time has come for a fundamental rethink. |
| "We've been able to compensate to some extent by racing ahead with large offshore wind projects, but quadrupling capacity can't rely on putting all our eggs in one renewable basket. | "We've been able to compensate to some extent by racing ahead with large offshore wind projects, but quadrupling capacity can't rely on putting all our eggs in one renewable basket. |
| "We've said very clearly we will aim to invest £6 billion in renewable capacity by 2022. The easier it is to do this, the quicker we all get to net-zero." | "We've said very clearly we will aim to invest £6 billion in renewable capacity by 2022. The easier it is to do this, the quicker we all get to net-zero." |
| All of the electricity Scottish Power generates for its customers comes from nearly 40 onshore and offshore wind farms across the UK. | All of the electricity Scottish Power generates for its customers comes from nearly 40 onshore and offshore wind farms across the UK. |
| Glasgow City Council leader Susan Aitken said: "We simply have to act now and the Glasgow city government will develop those partnerships necessary to get to where we simply have to be. We need to be a net-zero city. And we need to be the UK's first net-zero city." | Glasgow City Council leader Susan Aitken said: "We simply have to act now and the Glasgow city government will develop those partnerships necessary to get to where we simply have to be. We need to be a net-zero city. And we need to be the UK's first net-zero city." |
| The announcement was welcomed by First Minister Nicola Sturgeon. | The announcement was welcomed by First Minister Nicola Sturgeon. |
| "Today's announcement between Scottish Power and Glasgow City Council - to make Glasgow the UK's first net zero city - is a very welcome step. | "Today's announcement between Scottish Power and Glasgow City Council - to make Glasgow the UK's first net zero city - is a very welcome step. |
| "Reaching our goals will need exactly this kind of partnership approach - with Government, business, local authorities and citizens all playing their part." | "Reaching our goals will need exactly this kind of partnership approach - with Government, business, local authorities and citizens all playing their part." |