The Carbon Neutral Islands project was created by the Scottish Government to support islands to achieve the goal of net zero carbon emissions by 2040.
The six islands that form the project have been identified by the Scottish Government alongside island representatives and local governments. Hoy, Islay, Great Cumbrae, Raesay, Barra and Yell were announced by Mairi Gougeon, Rural Affairs and Islands Secretary during a debate in Parliament where she said:
“Scotland is at the forefront of climate change mitigation and adaptation at the global level, and I’ve always believed that our islands will contribute significantly to the country’s net zero commitment.
I was pleased to announce at COP26 that we are taking this ambition further than the original commitment, now aiming to support six islands in their journey towards carbon neutrality.
This project is another testament to Scottish islands being in the vanguard of innovation, leading the way in the journey to net zero while supporting other areas across Scotland.”
Over the summer, a report on the project will be published, whilst plans will also be developed for individual islands in collaboration with key partners and the communities involved.
This project reinforces the ideas that innovation and collaboration are key to achieving net zero, as the Carbon Neutral Islands project will be working closely with communities to move towards net zero in a fair and just way, as well as aiming to share good practices and learnings from the project with all other Scottish islands.
