Description

This session explored different aspects of measuring environmental impact from a community and systems perspective, including community led carbon audits, documenting processes and ‘community decarbonisation’ techniques, with examples from the Carbon Neutral Islands project and the Island Centre for Net Zero. The session also included an exploration of some of the wider structural aspects within the net zero landscape, as well as thinking about how to do this work in a complex landscape that feels like it’s constantly changing.

Training providers

Community Energy Scotland

Community Energy Scotland is Scotland’s only national charity dedicated to supporting communities across Scotland to develop their own decarbonisation & renewable energy projects. Our vision is of communities actively shaping a low-carbon society that values wellbeing for all. We work with communities and our partners to support, promote, and represent the community energy sector. We do this by providing technical assistance, knowledge sharing, and championing the role of community-led action in the transition to a low-carbon future.

Carbon Neutral Islands

The Carbon Neutral Islands (CNI) is a Scottish Government funded project which aims to deliver carbon neutrality for six Scottish islands. The project started by working with these six ‘lighthouse communities’ to deliver multi-sector carbon audits, community climate action plans (CCAPs). Now the project is developing these actions into projects which can be taken forward. A key objective of the project is to share knowledge with the other 87 inhabited Scottish islands and beyond, which brings CES to share learnings from the project and others here today.

Islands Centre for Net Zero

The Islands Centre for Net Zero (ICNZ) is an Islands Growth Deal funded programme to support Orkney, Shetland, and the Outer Hebrides to become leaders in the energy transition.  ICNZ is a consortium of multiple partner organisations across the three island groups - EMEC, Community Energy Scotland, Aquatera, Comhairle nan Eilean Siar, Orkney Islands Council, Shetland Islands Council, and Heriot Watt University.

 ICNZ aims to build upon the islands' natural resources, skills and assets and bring the tools needed to deliver a lasting fair and inclusive community-driven energy transition. To ensure that the knowledge, experience, and expertise of island communities drives this process the Island Community Action Network (iCAN), led by CES, will be central to ICNZ activities. 

green futures network

The Green Futures Network is a free way for any organisation – businesses, community groups, local government, charities – to access up-to-date environmental information, from cutting edge research to brand new resources, and contribute to collective approaches to the emerging climate and ecological emergencies and the changes they are bringing. The Network is run by the University of Exeter, and is open to any organisation wanting to access events, resources, updates, communities of practice and more.

Cameron Duff

Cameron Duff is a Technical Officer at CES, who has been working primarily on the CNI project to deliver the six carbon audits, assist the island communities complete their action plans, and provide technical guidance for projects and feasibility work to CES's member communities. Prior to joining CES, he worked as an engineering consultant in Glasgow before completing a Master’s in Sustainability & Environmental Studies at Strathclyde University.

Becky Ford

Becky Ford is a Development Officer for CES, working with community organisations across Orkney, Shetland, and the Outer Hebrides to establish the Island Community Action Network, as part of ICNZ. Prior to joining CES Becky completed her PhD with the Institute for Northern Studies UHI, where she continues to have a role as a relief lecturer. Her interdisciplinary doctoral thesis is entitled, 'Words and Waves: ecological dialogism as an approach to discourse, community, and marine renewable energy in Orkney.'

peter lefort

Peter Lefort runs the Green Futures Network at the University of Exeter, which works to increase access to the latest climate and environmental research. He is also a facilitator and coach who works with people and organisations working with complex challenges in the face of systemic uncertainty.