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CONTENTS |
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|  | Introduction |
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| 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 project partners show their political engagement to the project objectives by signing "The Pact of Islands", a three-page document that specifies the individual commitments that are to be made by European island authorities in order to achieve the EU sustainability objectives set for the year 2020.
For more information about the project and its partners, please visit: www.islepact.eu | |
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| | 4th Project Meeting: Stornoway, Isle of Lewis 20-22 September 2011 |
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| The fourth Project Meeting of the ISLE-PACT project was hosted by the Comhairle nan Eilean Siar (CnES) - The Outer Hebrides of Scotland, Project Coordinator, on the 20th and 21st of September 2011, followed by the Steering Committee on the 22nd. All project partners, except Balearics, participated in the meeting, together with representatives from the participating B7 islands Oland, Hiiumaa and Saaremaa.
The two day project meeting reviewed the progress of work and discussed in detail all eight project work packages. The consortium discussed the work to be performed in the next 6 months and the schedule until the end of the project in July 2012.
 
Left to right: Derek McKim - IslePact Coordinator, John Stuebler - Project officer, DG Energy, European Commission
The meeting was hosted in the Chamber of the Council of Outer Hebrides of Scotland
The programme of the project meeting included a visit to some of the facilities on the island, such as the biogas plant of the waste treatment facility and a local tidal turbine manufacturer.
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| | 62 island communities have signed the Pact of Islands |
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| 62 island communities have now signed the Pact of Islands. In addition to the signatures during the 12 April 2011 Signing Ceremony in Brussels, 12 new authorities signed the Pact between April and December 2011:
- Samothraki, Greece, signed the Pact of Islands on 17 May 2011
- Skyros, Greece signed the Pact of Islands on 23 May 2011
- Kea, Greece signed the Pact of Islands on 23 May 2011
- The Minister responsible for energy matters in Sicily, Italy signed the Pact of Islands on 29 September 2011 on behalf of the Region and 8 surrounding island authorities: Favignana, Lampedusa e Linosa, Leni, Lipari, Malfa, Pantelleria, S. Marina Salina and Ustica
Giosuè Marino, Minister of energy and public services of the Regional Government of Sicily, signed the Pact of Islands on 29 November during the 3rd Ceremony of the Covenant of Mayors in the European Parliament.
For a detailed list of all signatories, click here
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| | Island Sustainable Energy Action Plans |
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| Update on ISEAPs
The first 52 Pact of Islands signatories have committed to producing one ISEAP each within one year of signing.
48 out of the 52 ISEAPs to be prepared by the ISLE-PACT partners, have been completed (36 in draft version and 12 in final version in the national language of the signatory for political approval) and 6 are already approved.
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| | Written Declaration of the European Parliament |
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| Five members of the European Parliament, representing five insular regions of Europe, namely Kyriacos Mavronikolas (Cyprus), Spyros Danellis (Crete, Greece), Giommaria Uggias (Sardinia, Italy), Maria Da Graça Carvalho (Portugal) and Alyn Smith (UK), have taken the initiative to develop and propose to the European Parliament a Declaration on the establishment of the Pact of Islands as an official European initiative. The adoption of the Written Declaration is expected to further strengthen the Pact of Islands signatories in their fight against climate change.
The signing of the Written Declaration started officially at the plenary session of 12 September 2011 in Strasbourg. In order that the Declaration be adopted by the European Parliament, it should be signed by half of the 753 MEPs. By the end of December 2011, 365 MEPs have already signed it. Thus, the Declaration requires an additional 13 signatures and is expected to be adopted during the next EP Plenary Session in January 2012.
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| | MERiFIC Launch Event |
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The MERiFIC project was successfully launched at Falmouth's National Maritime Museum Cornwall on Tuesday 13th September 2011. MERiFIC (Marine Energy in Far Peripheral and Island Communities) has been awarded funding by INTERREG IVa. The project will invest €4.5 million across Cornwall and the French Department of Finistère in marine renewable energy strategy, helping to secure future energy security, jobs and investment in the regions. The maritime regions of Cornwall and Finistère are in a great position to benefit from the expected growth in marine renewable energy. Their peninsula nature and exposure to the Atlantic Ocean provides significant wave, wind and tidal resources. Cornwall, the Isles of Scilly and Finistère with the Parc Naturel Marin d'Iroise have identified marine energy as a key priority for development, with anticipated economic, social and environmental benefits.
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| | Islands: How can EU policies help filling the gap? |
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On 11 October, the Scottish Member of the European Parliament Alyn Smith chaired a major conference on EU Islands strategy in Brussels. The meeting took place within the framework of the EU 'Regions and Cities Week' bringing together local and regional government across the EU for meetings in Brussels. The panel, consisting of various island representatives largely from the Mediterranean region unanimously agreed to establish an Island Caucus within Brussels to lobby on behalf of island interests. Many future initiatives and programs were discussed including the need to specifically focus on insularity and sustainable energy, enhancing the Pact of Islands and ensuring that European strategic development goals and priorities are relevant to the islands' needs, potential and opportunities.
Alyn Smith said: "These are unprecedented times, the need for a realistic approach is vital to the future success of Europe's islands. The purse strings are tight; Europe's islands must take the lead focussing on a bottom up approach instead of waiting for money to be handed down by the EU. Ultimately, this is not about more money but better design and implementation of policies." | |
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| | Covenant of Mayors Ceremony |
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| Through the Covenant of Mayors, local and regional authorities have shown they are the most relevant actors to reconcile EU energy and climate ambitions with the day-to-day concerns of citizens, and help Europe find its way out of the crisis. This is the main conclusion to be drawn from key messages delivered at the occasion of the Covenant of Mayors Annual Ceremony, which saw the attendance of some 400 mayors and over 1,100 participants, convened on 29 November in Brussels, in the Hemicycle of the European Parliament. During the ceremony, 263 cities signed the Covenant of Mayors.
Mr. Alex Taylor, Master of Ceremonies, initiated the event by saying: "Now we are going to open the Signature Ceremony, but first of all "we would like to publicly recognize the effort and contribution of the people from the islands. More than 50 island authorities have signed up to the Pact of Islands, sibling with the Covenant signatories."
Covenant of Mayors Ceremony - Family photo
© photo Energy Efficient Cities Ukraine | |
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| | Islands and Overseas Entities Conference |
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On 20 December 2011 the European Parliament hosted a conference on Islands and Overseas Entities' contribution to biodiversity conservation and the fight against climate change. The event took place in Brussels.
The conference aimed at raising awareness on the importance of overseas entities and islands' assets to take up these crucial challenges. The ISLE-PACT Brussels office used the opportunity to present the Pact of Islands initiative and the efforts of the European islands in the common fight against climate change.
The conference was chaired by the MEP Maurice Ponga Co-Chair of the "Islands and Overseas Entities" Group of the EP Intergroup on "Climate Change, Biodiversity and Sustainable Development" and co-organised by IUCN (the International Union for Conservation of Nature) and EBCD (the European Bureau for Conservation & Development). | |
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| | Isle-Pact at the “Preparing Rio+20” Conference |
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"Preparing Rio+20" took place on the 21st of December in the European Economic and Social Committee premises in Brussels.
This conference addressed as its main issue how leaders, front runners and champions of the green economy and sustainability agenda can get organised, thanks to friendly cooperation and networking. Its aim is to enable more 'efficient' collaboration and 'scale up' successful partnership initiatives in Europe and in the world to share natural, financial and knowledge-based resources with a view to move towards greater security, prosperity and well-being.
The Isle-Pact Project Manager presented the Pact of Islands during the 4th parallel session of the conference: "Transition Regions and Towns – The Place for Innovation. How Europe's Sustainable Regions and Cities can contribute to the success of Rio+20". | |
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| | Energy and Climate Change issues in EU Cohesion Policy 2014-2020 |
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The Workshop of the CPMR "Energy & Climate Change" Working Group on "Energy and Climate change issues in EU Cohesion policy 2014-2020" takes place on 12 January 2012 in Aberdeen (UK), hosted by the Aberdeen City Council.
More information on CPMR website | |
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| | Intelligent Energy Europe Info Day |
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|  The IEE programme will hold its European Information Day on 24 January 2012, in Brussels. The main objective is to provide participants with a clear overview of the Funding Programme, and its specific funding possibilities for the new period. Workshops will be dedicated to specific themes, and a general overview on how to apply for the funding will be given by the European Commission.
Watch the event live! You can watch a live internet broadcast of the plenary session in the morning on your computer. The link will be published few days before the event. Access is free and do not require prior registration.
More information on the IEE website.
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| | Pact of Islands Conference in June 2012 |
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| The next annual Pact of Islands Conference will take place in June 2012 in the Framework of the EU Sustainable Energy Week in Brussels. The conference will be an opportunity for new island authorities to sign the Pact of Islands and for the Isle-Pact members to discuss the future of the project. More details soon.
More information on the 2011 Conference | |
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| | Contact |
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| The ISLE-PACT project office in Brussels Rond Point Schuman 14, 1040 Brussels, Belgium
Telephone +32 2 612 1704 Fax +32 2 280 2765 e-mail admin@islepact.eu
Project Coordinator Representative
Derek McKim
COMHAIRLE NAN EILEAN SIAR - The Outer Hebrides of Scotland admin@islepact.eu
Contact for Networking & Communication
Tyler Robertson admin@islepact.eu
Project website: www.islepact.eu | |
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