Carbon Neutral Islands: project progress report

Internationalisation

Given the overall net zero international profile of Scotland, the Project has developed an international strategy that reflects the leading role of islands in decarbonisation. The international strategy has two objectives.

Firstly, it wishes to share with islands worldwide good practices and learning stemming from the deployment of renewables across Scottish islands. At the same time, Scotland's islands are keen to learn from success stories elsewhere.

Secondly, the Project is developing the foundations for practical collaborations with island partners that go beyond the mere exchange of good practices. This part of the international strategy will provide an enabling platform for commercial opportunities from and to Scotland in the field of renewables. For example, the government of Malta has shown a strong interest in Scottish islands' experience and commercial opportunities around floating wind and green hydrogen. A field visit by colleagues from the Maltese Energy and Water Agency took place in Orkney and Edinburgh in early September 2022.

The Project has also started exploratory talks around carbon neutrality with the Faroe Islands, the Falkland Islands, Ireland, Finland, Vanuatu and the Solomon Islands.

The international dimension of the Project responds to the ambition present in the National Islands Plan to promote opportunities for policy and knowledge exchange with international partners.