Nadhim Zahawi, chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster and intergovernmental relations minister, has expressed his delight at the outcome of the first ever Islands Forum, which was recently held in Orkney.
The purpose of the Forum, chaired by Zahawi (pictured), was to discuss opportunities for the UK’s island communities around net-zero.
Held at the Orkney Research & Innovation Campus, the first Islands Forum was attended by local authority leaders and chief executives from all eligible UK island communities and representatives of the devolved administrations.
Scotland Office minister Malcolm Offord and levelling-up minister Dehenna Davison attended to represent the UK government alongside Zahawi, while Northern Ireland minister John O’Dowd, Scottish government minister Richard Lochhead and Welsh government minister Julie James were also present.
Orkney’s local authorities gave delegates a tour around the renewable energy initiatives on the islands and representatives from the energy regulator Ofgem also engaged in the talks to determine how regulations could better support island communities in fulfilling their net-zero ambitions.
Zahawi said following the first Forum in Orkney that the meeting had been a major success and next steps on net-zero co-operation had been agreed between attendees.
He commented: “The inaugural UK Islands Forum has been a wonderful way to bring together people from across our islands discuss our shared challenges and seize new opportunities to work more closely together.
“The talks I’ve led in Orkney have left me in no doubt that this Forum is an innovation that is being embraced by islands from across the UK, and it was fantastic that our colleagues in the devolved governments were part of the discussion.
“There is clearly a strong appetite to continue working together on issues from the deployment of renewable technologies to the importance of creating strong partnerships between the public and private sector to drive forward investment. I look forward to seeing the real difference this makes to our island communities and beyond.”
Dehenna Davison added: “The UK government is determined to increase opportunities and raise standards across every part of the UK, and this includes our island communities.
“People on our islands often have to overcome geographical and logistical challenges just to go about their daily lives. Bringing island leaders together on a regular basis will help us to share successful ideas and face up to common problems.
“I am really encouraged that this first Islands Forum here on Orkney sets us on a path that will pay real dividends in the years to come.”
Malcolm Offord highlighted that net-zero was a journey that the UK was embarking on together as a whole and stressed that the island communities would be “right at the heart” of it.
He said: “The inaugural Islands Forum was a tremendous opportunity to meet and share ideas about the unique challenges and opportunities for the UK’s island communities.
“Net-Zero is a journey we are on together and the islands can be centres of excellence, developing concepts and systems that can be scaled up and exported globally.
“There’s no doubt the energy market is going through a transition and our island communities are right at the heart of that. Rich in renewables and pivotal to the vital oil and gas sector, the Forum will help islands navigate the way ahead.”
UK government ministers will now take charge of net-zero initiatives following the Forum, working in collaboration with the devolved administrations and leaders of the island communities.
The next Islands Forum will be held in six months’ time, with the location yet to be determined.
Photo by IAEA Imagebank - Nadhim Zahawi (cop26_2073) on Wikimedia Commons
