EnergyFromTheEdge
A conference about sustainable energy, large-scale resource development in remote communities, and more ...
12-14 SEPTEMBER 2007 Shetland Islands
Participating Bodies/Conference Partners
Shetland Islands Council
Shetland Islands Council (SIC) is one of 32 local authorities in Scotland – responsible for service provision in the areas of Environmental Health, Roads, Social Work, Community Development, Economic Development, Housing, Planning, Waste, Education and others.
Like the other Scottish local authorities, Shetland receives a large part of its funding from the Scottish Executive for core services. However, in Shetland the affairs of its inhabitants have also been in the hands of the various oil-funded trusts.
Of the 32 Scottish local authorities, only the island councils of Shetland, Orkney and the Western Isles (Comhairle nan Eilean Siar) have been in existence since the 1975 reorganisation of local government.
The predecessor to the SIC – the Zetland County Council (ZCC) – was quick to recognise the potential effects of the oil discovery and in 1972, they promoted a pioneering Bill through the UK Parliament. This Zetland County Council Act became law in 1974 and set the legal framework for developments. Crucially, it gave Reserve Powers to the Council in its dealing with the oil industry and enabled the SIC to have considerable control over developments in and around the islands. The Act also provided the basis on which the Council’s financial strength and extended levels of service provision to the population of Shetland were established. Oil funded trusts were set up and have resulted in additional spending, predominantly in the fields of
- Social Care and welfare,
- Arts, culture, sport and recreation and
- The environment, natural history and heritage
Shetland Islands Council and the affiliated Trusts are major employers in the isles. In 2003 the SIC was the second largest sector of the Shetland Economy with a value of £127 million.
Visit the Shetland Islands Council website.
HIE Shetland
HIE Shetland (previously referred to as Shetland Enterprise) is part of the Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE) network.
The role of HIE Shetland is to help people, companies and organisations within the local economy to realise their full potential. They have powers and resources for economic and social development. In co-operation with the people of Shetland, their goal is to help create a strong, diverse and sustainable economy where quality of life is matched by quality of opportunity.
Visit the HIE Shetland website.
NAF – North Atlantic Forum
The North Atlantic Forum (NAF) is a conference organised bi-annually for the North Atlantic Islands Program (NAIP).
The first Forum was held in 1998 and by 2005, NAF agreed that their vision was for “Improved public policy and regional development policies and practices in the jurisdictions of the North Atlantic Rim through collaborative, interdisciplinary research, learning exchanges and private, public and community interaction.”
It was at a North Atlantic Conference in Twillingate, Newfoundland, in 2005 that Shetland was suggested as a possible venue for 2007. The North Atlantic Islands Program dates back to 1992 and is an association of island-dwellers intent on fostering co-operation among the islands of the North Atlantic Rim and mainland neighbours. The Program was initiated by the Institute of Islands Studies at the University of Prince Edward Island (an island province on Canada’s Atlantic coast) – and it is designed to facilitate research, information exchange and shared initiatives among its members. Although the central focus of NAIP is North Atlantic Islands the network does extend to other North Atlantic peripheral/coastal regions.
NORA - Nordic Atlantic Co-operation (Nordisk Atlantsamarbeid)
North Atlantic Cooperation is an extension of the Westnordic Cooperation established by the Nordic Council of Ministers.
In January 1996, coastal Norway joined the cooperation between Greenland, Iceland and the Faroe Islands and today the Nordic Council of Ministers continues to fund its programmes and projects. The Co-operation aims at improving the framework and conditions for industry, trade and development in the North Atlantic Region. This is carried out by supporting innovative processes, networking, research-and-industry cooperation. Although there are no specific areas focused on, the marine environment and resources, transport and IT as well as tourism and industry are identified as significant areas.
The Co-operation also encourages projects involving neighbouring areas like Canada, Scotland and Northern Russia. Today, NORA consists of a head secretariat based in the Faroe Islands but with sub-secretariats in the participating countries and regions.
ISSMR – International Society for the Study of Marginal regions
After many years of ad hoc organisation of the biennial International Seminar on Marginal Regions (ISMR) - it was decided at the meeting in Skye and Lewis, in July 1987, to set up an International Society for the Study of Marginal Regions (ISSMR).
The purpose of establishing the Society was to ensure continuity of the previous (albeit informal) efforts to bring together people with a common interest in the problems of marginal areas in industrialised countries throughout the North Atlantic region - notably Canada, Norway, Ireland, Scotland, Finland, Wales and Sweden.
The Society aims to:
- encourage an informed and interdisciplinary approach to an understanding of the problems of marginal regions in these countries
- to promote active research on these problems by professional and academic practitioners
- to disseminate the work of the Society as widely as possible through seminars and publications
- and to seek funds to enable these aims to be carried out.
Membership is open to any person, institution or organisation wishing to support these aims.
Since August 2005, the President of the ISSMR has been Jørgen Amdam of Volda University College
SmartLabrador
SmartLabrador began as the Smart Communities Demonstration Project for the province of Newfoundland & Labrador.
It is governed by the Labrador Information Technology Initiative, a non-profit organisation managed by a board of directors representing Labrador economic zones. In November 2006, SmartLabrador hosted a three-day international conference in the Labrador Straits region – in cooperation with NORA and the Harris Centre. The conference brought together representatives from countries of the North Atlantic Rim to discuss common challenges and to share solutions. Further information on the conference is available at the Creative Solutions website.