"EU measures that support the transition of EU islands to clean energy and carbon neutrality must take into account the territorial differences and challenges faced by islands. In particular islands, their communities and enterprises need to embrace modern technologies, foster societal innovation, seek European partnerships and invest more in various fields being it alternative sources of energy and cleaner ferry transport." Markku Markkula Chair of the Espoo City Board and President of Helsinki Region made these remarks during a panel discussion on 'Setting the agenda for clean energy transition on European islands' held during the 'Clean energy for EU islands' forum.
During the forum Kadri Simson, Commissioner for Energy said that islands are unique places to live but they also have distinctive obstacles to overcome especially when it comes to energy as they have small and isolated energy systems. She said that they can be perfect real-life laboratories for the deployment of new innovative solutions. "Islands and other coastal regions are in some of the most vulnerable situations right now. Investments in clean energy can be a pathway to recovery, can diversify island economies and create new jobs."
Markkula said that Finland is country of islands having some 178 947 islands, some being very small. He said that small islands may face physical separation from the rest of the municipalities of which they are part, which hinders access to services and decision-making processes, generates high dependency on external inputs and leads to weak administrative autonomy. This thus calls for special attention to facilitate the green transition. In this regard he welcomed the Clean Energy for EU islands initiative to support islands in their transition process and said that the Fit for 55 package needs to take this into account. The package which forms part of the Commission work programme for 2021, represents the revisions and initiatives linked to the European Green Deal climate actions and in particular the climate target plan's 55 % net reduction target.
He said that islands were already taking important initiatives and thus the transition can be a natural step forward. He added that more emphasis needs to be made on solar and wind energy and called on islands to embrace modern technologies. Markkula also spoke on the need to support hybridisation and clean ferry services, used by both local communicates and tourists, which together with renovation of houses can contribute to achieve carbon neutrality.
Markkula, a member of the CoR Working Group Green Deal Going Local said that the CoR launched a political and communication campaign to scale up societal innovation and speed up the implementation of the European Green Deal targets on the ground. While calling for more European partnerships, Markkula spoke on good practices, including SMEs on islands that were developing through pilot projects to demonstrations and scale-up.
During the discussion Paula Pinho, Director for Just Transition, Consumers, Energy Efficiency and Innovation, DG ENER, European Commission said that energy efficiency (heating /cooling) together with measures in the area of sea transport, which are relevant to islands, will have an important role to achieve climate targets. Furthermore, she said that islands and their local communities will be at the core of the legal package, Fit for 55, that will be presented later this year.
Giuseppe Sciacca, Executive Secretary of the CPMR Islands Commission said that in the post COVID-19 scenario islands need clean and cheap energy. Referring to availability of EU funds, Sciacca said that islands need to also look into new technologies such as use of hydrogen. He also spoke on the need to modernise new port infrastructure, link this to clean energy and storage of energy.