Hansard

As a member of the Rural Affairs, Islands and Natural Environment Committee, and as an MSP who represents a largely rural and coastal constituency, I commend the innovative action that the Scottish Government has taken on carbon neutral islands, which is part of an on-going process to support small island communities, which have often been pioneers for sustainability and climate action.

I empathise with many of the issues, and many of the initiatives provide a snapshot of a greener future. They build on COP priorities for island communities and provide a greenprint for carbon neutral progress on the mainland. I believe and hope that the actions that have been taken in the context of carbon neutral islands will also help to address some of the other challenges for our islands and coastal communities, such as depopulation, the need for tourism to be more sustainable, and fuel poverty. We know that our islands are vulnerable to the impacts of climate change but that they have huge potential and natural capital that will help us to meet our net zero ambition.

The carbon neutral islands project will demonstrate the low-carbon energy potential of Scotland’s islands as hubs of innovation in renewable energy and climate change resilience. Globally, Scotland can be seen as taking island leadership a step further, through the establishment of not one but six carbon neutral islands. That is an opportunity for island communities to lead the way in the country’s broader journey towards net zero emissions.

As has been mentioned, the project is not exclusive to the six named islands but will benefit all Scottish islands and, where possible, will shed light on good practice generally in carbon neutrality, through the sharing of best practice, the exchange of knowledge, and progressive policies that will support islands to become carbon neutral. That will help to protect their unique heritage, culture and biodiversity, while delivering on our commitment to support island communities to flourish economically and socially.

The programme for government will build on the selection process, incorporating the very best of partnership work with stakeholders, and we will listen and learn as we go. As I mentioned, Scotland’s islands have been leaders in renewable energy development and innovation, and we are determined to harness that potential and build on that success to meet Scotland’s 2045 net zero ambitions.

Like my constituency, island communities are remote, rural and often experience fuel poverty, alongside a higher wind-chill factor. Island industries such as farming and fishing have historically been carbon intensive, as has distilling. It is therefore a great challenge for islands to become carbon neutral, which requires a combination of what can be done in both the short and the long term. The islands have called for support that builds on their own initiatives, and I am pleased to see that we have stepped up to the mark in providing just that. However, we are at the early stages, and it is important that we move forward in a spirit of optimism and determination.

Moving forward will involve carbon audits across the islands, and a phased approach that informs our learning. That will help to deliver key commitments in the national islands plan, create jobs, protect Scottish island environments from climate change and contribute to Scotland’s 2045 net zero target.

I congratulate island communities on the work and research that they have carried out and the collaboration with universities, including, to give just one example, the innovative work on hydrogen conversion. It is a well-worn phrase that nobody has a monopoly on such matters. We are keen, I am sure, to embrace many ideas and walk with island communities on a shared journey, building on route maps towards a common goal.

I agree with the leaders of some island councils that we all need to think smarter, act quicker and deliver sooner. That is the climate change imperative, and the Scottish Government is doing just that. The work is on-going, but is happening at pace.

However, there are crossroads with some obstacles along this shared journey. As the cabinet secretary has said in this chamber previously, the higher transmission network use of system charges remain a key barrier to net zero in Scotland, and we are calling on action in that regard. Analysis by the Office of Gas and Electricity Markets shows that, by 2040, Scottish renewable energy and low-carbon generators will be the only ones paying a wider transmission network charge, with all others, including gas generators elsewhere in Great Britain, being paid credits. The Scottish Government has made it clear that, rather than there being small modifications to the existing methodologies of Ofgem’s charging reviews and decision making, a new approach is needed that fully takes into account the effects on renewables project costs and ensures that they do not present barriers to investment and progress in Scotland.

I welcome the process of consulting stakeholders to get their views on how they can work together to deliver the zero carbon islands programme, and the exploration of good practice from islands around the world to fully understand how emissions can be reduced as soon as possible.

Finally, I agree with the cabinet secretary that Scotland’s islands can play a “really significant role” in the race to net zero. That is a good example of this Government’s determination for Scotland to lead the world in tackling climate change.