Conference
Assessing the state of the city
Climate change, the regeneration of Glasgow and strategic collaboration were key topics of discussion at the State of the City Economy Conference
G
Professor Sir Jim
McDonald BSc MSc PhD,
Principal and Vice- Chancellor, University of Strathclyde
lasgow businesses must continue to play their part in speaking up about the multiple merits of working and living in Scotland’s
biggest city and only metropolitan area, the 600 delegates at the annual State of City Economy Conference in January were urged.
In her introduction to the conference in the Radisson Blu, Susan Aitken, Leader of Glasgow City Council, revealed the city’s GVA has increased by 4 per cent, up from £19.6 billion to £20.4 billion in 2019. In a list of plaudits, she said Glasgow
was the second-best small city in Europe for SME start-ups; it was making more satellites than any other city outside of Silicon Valley; and there was 1.2 million square feet of office accommodation under construction. A crane count of 20 or more across the city was ten times Edinburgh’s equivalent. Since 2012, Glasgow has benefited from £1.1 billion of foreign direct investment, and there are 48,000 firms across the city region. She
said the success of the city and its move to a net-zero carbon environment by 2030 was a challenge for everyone. “The scale of this means that the
Council cannot tackle it alone. Businesses, developers and property owners all must play their part and we will be asking you to step up to the task,” she said. Major events, including the European Championships and COP26, the United Nations’ climate change conference, add up to a “really momentous year” for Glasgow, delegates were told. “In the 21st year of the 21st century, the
Susan Aitken, Leader, Glasgow City Council
critical role of cities in setting the pace for economic, social and cultural change is crystallised here in Glasgow.” She said cities such as Glasgow have been the incubators for policies and solutions, crucibles for development, testing and implementing economic models and bulwarks against insularity and complacency. She said cities are cradles of innovation and change where modern Scotland has always been made and where it is being remade. Councillor Aitken stated that climate change, sustainability and carbon reduction are the issues of our time, those
which are impacting on the city. “They form the context from which our prosperity must be viewed to flourish. Done right, economic growth, improving the quality of life of all of our citizens and carbon neutrality are highly compatible.” She said the road to net-zero
carbon is signposted with opportunity. She said the ability of the private sector, academia and the public sector to mobilise in partnership and collaboration places Glasgow in a perfect position to achieve economic and environmental sustainability. COP26 involves the gathering of 170
world leaders to push forward global commitments to reduce emissions. This is the most significant environmental conference since Paris in 2015. “This will be the biggest event that
Scotland has ever hosted. Glasgow will stage a series of events to raise awareness for the opportunities it creates. Make no mistake, this is massive. It will be impossible to ignore. Logistically COP26 will be a challenge, but the city will keep moving throughout.” The boost to Glasgow’s hospitality
industry is already reckoned to be £70 million while the international exposure is an unrivalled opportunity to promote the city on a global state. “We are ideally placed to position
Glasgow as a demonstrator city for sustainability solutions. This is an
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www.glasgowchamberofcommerce.com
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