Low Carbon islands:

Scottish Islands Going Green

News!"Eigg leads the way on Islands Going Green",

According to the Carbon Neutral Islands report commissioned by HIE and HICEC in 2007) the Scottish Islands’ carbon footprint is already lower than the UK average. click here to download the report in P.D.F

Baseline carbon emission

Average Scottish island community of 1000 people

9.50 tonnes of CO2 per annum

Average mainland UK community of 1000 people

10.62 tonnes of CO2 per annum

The high emissions associated with ferry use for islanders are more than offset by lower than UK average levels of consumption of food and services. (Although tourism adds 10% to the overall footprint.)

9.50 tonnes of CO2 per annum are made of
Direct emissions associated with electricity use, space and water heating, food and vehicle use	45 %
Indirect emissions associated with goods and services	55 %

The report examines the various options to lower these emissions and concludes that the creation of a Carbon Neutral Scottish Island will involve a successful marriage of community and technology.

SUSTAINABLE ISLANDS CONFERENCE: TOWARDS A LOW CARBON ECONOMY

Organised by CIFALfindhorn the Sustainable Islands conference that took place in Inverness on 25 September 2009 was largely based on the report findings and invited representatives from a number of successful low carbon island initiatives, Samsø in Denmark, Gotland in Sweden and Eigg in Scotland, to show how they are making the transition to low carbon economy.

Gotland Island- the Renewable Energy Revolution as a Catalyst for a Sustainable Economy Bertil Klintbom, Municipality of Gotland, Sweden

Samso, the Danish Island Living Off-Grid Soren Hermanson, Samso Island Denmark

The Isle of Eigg – First of a Thousand Green Islands Lucy Conway, Isle of Eigg

To find out more about these communities you can also read about Gotland’s sustainable tourism

The Samso Energy Academy

Eigg, an Island Going Green

^{ARRAN
GOES GREEN,}

^{Some
useful links from the isle of ARRAN, curtesy of SIF director Jenny
Meade}

^{5/2/10
The Scottish Government have announced "Householder green energy
help" which includes cutting red tape in planning system to make it
easier for people to generate clean, green energy which can boost
Scotland’s renewable sector and support jobs.}

^{Check
this for local governement help to become a greener place}

^{www.communities.gov.uk/publications/localgovernment/localdemocracyconsultation}

^{www.communities.gov.uk/speeches/corporate/greencouncilsfuture}

^{Feed in
Tariffs}

^{The
governement scheme that means we get paid for any surplus energy we
channel onto the grid.}

^{to feed
in energy for local use without a grid upgrade}

^{National Energy Action.}

^{www.nea.org.uk}^{show us what others are doing.}

^{Lift share}

^{Sharing
transport could also halve the wear and tear on our roads, and help
cut down emissions.}

^{www.liftshare.com}

^{The
Meadows ' example}

^{www. meadowspartnershiptrust.org.uk}

^{www.Eastneukenergy.co}^.

^{A
brilliant example of how to empower a community to join together for
everyone’s benefit.}

^{You
can contact ArranGoesGreen@live.co.uk
to send your green ideas.}

Join the SCOTTISH ISLANDS FEDERATION and get involved in the emerging debate and the growing consensus between islands that a low carbon economy should bring together island residents, local businesses, higher education and policy regulators to work on an integrated agenda!


The Scottish Islands Federation would like to acknowledge the grant support provided by the Scottish Executive Rural Strategic Support Fund, Leader+, Highland Council, Argyll and Bute Council and North Ayrshire Council.

© Scottish Islands Federation 2007 Island Photographs courtesy of Cailean Maclean