The demand for climate justice is growing across the world. And it is abundantly clear that none of us can continue to shirk from our responsibility; as governments, as politicians and as individuals. From the research by the world’s leading scientists on the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change to the appeals from our classrooms and onto George Square, we know that this is the issue of our times.

The First Minister recently declared a climate emergency for Scotland. Her call to action has helped focus our minds on the urgency of the matter, making clear that all areas of public policy must be in scope for change if we are serious about our planet. There is, to quote the First Minister, no Planet B.

Cities must lead on the climate change agenda. Not only because we have a political and moral responsibility as major polluters but as centres of large populations we can do the necessary decarbonisation quickly if we make the right policy decisions and are bold enough to see them through. And as Scotland’s largest city Glasgow must take seriously the responsibility to lead the push to become carbon neutral, the race to zero.

READ MORE: Glasgow bids to become UK's first carbon neutral city

But Government, local or national, cannot do everything alone. We need private investment, to create the infrastructure and need to change. So it was tremendous boost for our ambitions that Scottish Power committed the installation of charging points for electric vehicles across the city, giving more and more people the opportunity to cut their own footprint.

Heat and transport are the two main areas which need that additional effort to reduce emissions. More than 70 per cent of this city's residents live in flats and are unable to charge electric cars as they have no off-street parking.

Scottish Power’s plans will mean people can rapidly charge their vehicles away from home, at work or at public charging locations. This has the potential to revolutionise the push towards electric vehicles.

READ MORE: Scottish response to climate emergency must be in ‘national psyche’

It was fitting that last week my colleague Anna Richardson also declared a climate emergency for Glasgow, pledging that the City Council will do all it can to take the decisive action required to reach net zero. This is an issue which should always transcend tribal politics, whatever our differences on other matters.

The City Council recently established a cross-party Climate Emergency Working Group. It is looking at our existing targets for emissions and why we need to be a lot more radical. Our targets are no longer adequate. Right now the group is advising on what new targets might be. The report is due for publication after the summer recess and I have no doubt the recommendations will be challenging for all of us. But I’m certain we can find agreement.

It’s right that the Council should lead on accelerating the decarbonisation agenda. From the use of wind turbine and solar energy to power street lights and traffic lights to new strategies on heat, sustainability must run through all our policies and decisions.

READ MORE: Nicola Sturgeon: Climate change is the greatest challenge facing the world – there is no ‘planet B’

I have repeatedly stated that as leader of this city, with its legacy of deeply ingrained social challenges, we need to deliver social justice. There is nothing incompatible with improving the quality of life of all our citizens and becoming carbon neutral. Nothing.

Around a third of Glasgow’s households are estimated to live in fuel poverty, damaging health, quality of life and financial sustainability of individuals, households and communities. What is good for our climate must also be good for those living within fuel poverty. How we keep our citizens warm will be crucial in delivering our targets.

We also have one of the worst records for poor air quality in the UK, a direct contributing factor in 300 city deaths every year. This is why we are leading the way in the implementation of Scotland’s first Low Emissions Zone, which will permit only the cleanest vehicles into our city centre by 2022.

Read more of today's top Glasgow stories.

Solutions to climate justice and social justice must become normal politics and political leadership. On this Glasgow can lead for the rest of Scotland, the UK and indeed, the world.