The ISLE-PACT project is committed to developing Local Sustainable Energy Action Plans with the aim of meeting or exceeding the EU sustainability objectives set by the EU for 2020, reducing the CO₂ emissions by at least 20%.  The project's duration is 30 months, 1 February 2010 – 31 July 2012.   The project's coordinator is the Comhairle nan Eilean Siar (CnES) – The Outer Hebrides of Scotland. The project is co-financed by the European Commission, Directorate General for Energy.

The Signing Ceremony of the Pact of Islands took place at the Committee of the Regions in Brussels on 12 April 2011. This event was part of the EU Sustainable Energy Week, 11-15 April 2011, which brings together over 5000 participants in Brussels each year and many more throughout Europe with multiple conferences, exhibitions and specific workshops.

The Pact of Islands is the political commitment of European islands to developing Local Sustainable Energy Action Plans and identifying bankable green projects with the aim of meeting or exceeding the EU sustainability targets for the year 2020. At this crucial time in the fight against climate change, the European Islands have a critical role to play. The political authorities of those European islands that are at the forefront of this initiative came to Brussels in order to sign the Pact of Islands and thus indicate the commitment of their island communities to help achieve the 20-20-20 objectives of the European Union.

Commissioner Maria Damanaki stated: "Your initiative makes you front runners in promoting an independent and environmentally sound energy supply. It is a bottom-up, voluntary commitment that crosses geographical and national borders, it links together authorities, territories and ultimately people in a common effort toward sustainability. And it is exactly what our Integrated Maritime Policy is all about."

   

The President of the Committee of the Regions, Mercedes Bresso, addressed the 40 island authorities focusing on territorial cohesion: "Energy and Territorial Cohesion are two new competences that the Lisbon Treaty attributed to the EU. Your Pact shows that with projects and cooperation we can turn the Treaty into reality."

The European Parliament was represented by Maria do Céu Patrão Neves MEP Azores, Portugal, Alyn Smith, MEP, Scotland, Maria da Graça Carvalho, MEP Portugal, Teresa Riera Madurell, MEP Spain, and Kyriakos Triantaphyllides, MEP Cyprus.

Marie Donnelly, Director for "New and Renewable Sources of Energy, Energy Efficiency & Innovation" at DG ENER, said: "Retrofitting buildings to reduce their energy consumption is a priority of the European Commission; 40% of the EU energy consumption is in the building sector."

Eleni Marianou, Secretary General of the Conference of Peripheral Maritime Regions (CRPM), made reference to the territorial aspect: "It has been recognised that many of the European islands are suffering from structural handicaps, leading to population reduction and more particularly the young leaving the islands for better employment and living conditions in the mainland. Therefore I believe sustainable development is one of the main tools to help enhance local economic development, job creation and reverse the decline of the local population."

"The Pact of Islands makes a number of significant commitments such as the obligation to submit an Island Sustainable Energy Action Plan, to develop a pipeline of bankable projects and mobilise sustainable energy investments.  The 30-month project will help make a significant contribution in achieving EU sustainable energy and climate change targets, such as the reduction of CO2 emissions by 20% or more" said Alex MacDonald, Convener of Comhairle nan Eilean Siar (the Council of the Outer Hebrides of Scotland).

48 island communities signed the Pact of Islands on 12 April 2011 in Brussels. For a detailed list of all signatories

• Sicily announces intent to join the Pact of Islands:  During the Signing Ceremony of the Pact of Islands in Brussels on 12 April 2011, Sicily announced its intent to join the Pact of Islands. Mr Gregory Arena, Brussels representative of the Sicilian region, announced that the region as well as the islands of Pantelleria, Lampedousa, Lipari, Ustica, Salina and Favigniana intend to join the Pact of Islands process.
• Samothraki, Greece, signed the Pact of Islands on 17 May 2011
• Skyros, Greece signed the Pact of Islands on 23 May 2011

The following publications may be found on this link

D.5.1.1 Guide for the Environmental and Socio-economic Analysis

The ISLE-PACT project office in Brussels
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