Sustainable Futures
The unintended consequences of decades of innovation and progress have left us with amplified climate change, loss of biodiversity and nature, and extreme weather events that disproportionately affect vulnerable communities. A sustainable future goes beyond just ensuring the health of our physical environment. Sustainability includes the wellbeing of our planet and all its inhabitants.
Diverse perspectives that inspire, empower and create new insights for a better future should inform the way we educate current and future generations. It will take collective effort to respond to the complex challenges created by our changing climate and build a nature-positive future that does not exacerbate health and social inequalities.
Our commitment to world-changing collaborations can be seen through our existing partnerships and participation in wider civic and research-intensive coalitions within the UK and globally – for example our work with the Russell Group, Scotland Beyond Net Zero, Universitas21, CIVIS, and The Guild.
Collectively, we have the potential to create the transformative change required for a hopeful and sustainable future.
Together, we can change the world.
Our commitment to a sustainable future
We are committed to achieving climate neutrality in our own practices and recognise the need to share best practice and engage in learning with others.
- 2014 – The first UK university to commit to divesting from fossil fuels within a decade
- 2017 – Signed the Sustainable Development Goals Accord
- 2019 – First University in Scotland to declare a climate emergency
- 2020 – Launched the Centre for Sustainable Solutions
- 2020 – Published our response to the Climate Emergency 'Glasgow Green'
- 2024 – Completed full divestment from fossil fuels
- 2024 – In partnership with the University of Edinburgh, co-led the creation of Scotland Beyond Net Zero
- 2024 – Ranked 12th in the world for sustainability in the THE Impact Rankings
- 2025 – Ranked 27th in the world for sustainability out of 1,994 universities in the QS World Sustainability Rankings
Our research stories
Electric wallpaper among projects powering a net zero future in Scotland
Thu, 17 Oct 2024 08:00:00 BST
New funding for green economy research at University of Glasgow
Mon, 07 Oct 2024 08:30:00 BST
Study to enhance water security and climate resilience in the Bangladesh Delta
Wed, 25 Sep 2024 09:41:00 BST
School of Computing Science aims to reduce environmental impact of digital tech
Mon, 23 Sep 2024 08:30:00 BST
National Centre for Resilience funding to boost Scotland’s community resilience planning
Thu, 15 Aug 2024 11:30:00 BST
Researchers will pioneer use of digital twins to decarbonise the UK’s transport systems
Mon, 12 Aug 2024 08:30:00 BST
Researchers team up with the city’s music sector to launch ‘Towards a Just and Green Music City’ initiative
Wed, 06 Dec 2023 09:00:00 GMT
How can cities learn from one another?
Researchers are taking a multitude of approaches to bring tangible solutions to urban challenges
Enhancing solar power generation from space
Space-based reflectors could shine additional sunlight towards solar power farms
Climate change and our changing coastline
Dynamic Coast: a project informing policy around coastal flood and erosion management
Arctic microorganisms and climate change
Tackling climate change through chemistry
