The Clean energy for EU islands initiative has been given an important boost this week by confirmation that 22 further European islands have now published a clean energy transition agenda, with 7 others likely to follow in the near future.
In the course of the 4-day Clean energy for EU islands online forum, bringing together representatives from many of the EU’s different island communities, different speakers highlighted how islands can learn from each other’s experiences. The additional roadmaps confirmed this week, outlining how each of these islands intends to embrace the clean energy transition, follows on from the six pilot projects announced last year.
Addressing the forum on Monday, EU Energy Commissioner Kadri Simson said:
“Carbon-neutral energy systems developed on an island scale may be replicated and scaled-up elsewhere. This gives islands a unique potential to be trailblazers of the European Green Deal.”
The online forum provides a useful showcase for islands all around Europe to highlight what local actions they are already carrying out, or planning. Representatives from the EU institutions have also outlined the advantages of an EU framework for facilitating cooperation and spreading best practice. This week’s forum is the first large event with the EU Islands community after signature of the Memorandum of Split on 14 June 2020.
In response to the confirmation that these islands have now published clean energy transition agendas, Commissioner Simson said:
“These transition agendas are a testament to the hard work and fruitful collaborations among islanders, both within their communities and across borders. It has been truly inspiring to see what is possible when local people have the power and support to write their own futures. We look forward to continuing the cooperation with the EU island communities to make the European Green Deal a reality, both through this initiative and through other EU actions to support a locally-driven energy transition.”
The following islands have now published a clean energy transition agenda:
(Original six “pilot projects” announced last year) Aran Islands (Ireland), Cres-Losinj archipelago (Croatia), Culatra (Portugal), La Palma (Spain), Salina (Italy), and Sifnos (Greece);
(Confirmed in recent months, including this week) A Ilha de Arousa (Spain), Brač (Croatia), Cape Clear (Ireland), Halki (Greece), the Hvar Archipelago (Croatia), Ibiza (Spain), Île de Sein (France), Kasos (Greece), Korčula (Croatia), Kökar (Finland), Menorca (Spain), Molène and Ouessant, (France), Pantelleria (Italy), and Symi (Greece), and 7 off-grid Scottish islands – Eigg, Muck, Rum, Canna, Fair Isle and Foula, and the peninsula of Knoydart
(Intending to finalise and publish their transition agendas in the near future) The Azores (Portugal), Belle-Île (France), Crete (Greece), Hoedic and Houat (France), Mallorca (Spain), and Marie-Galante (France).
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