Clean Energy for EU islands, an integral part of Europe's energy transition: follow the discussion in Lanzarote next week!

Islands and island regions face a particular set of energy challenges linked to their special geographic and climatic conditions. Many of our European islands have expensive oil-based energy structures, which mean that they are still dependent on costly fossil fuel imports. Islands need therefore to generate their own clean, competitive energy from renewable sources, further deploy energy efficiency solutions and innovative technologies. To discuss these issues at the highest institutional level and with the wide range of stakeholders, the second Clean Energy for EU Islands Forum will take place in the island of Lanzarote, in the Canary Islands of Spain, next Monday 5 November 2018. This year’s Forum agenda will focus on finding ways to accelerate the clean energy transition on islands by making them frontrunners in the transformation of their energy systems, ensure secure and competitive energy, and bring benefits to local economies. The Forum is organised by the European Commission with the support of the newly established Secretariat for the Clean Energy for EU Islands Initiative and co-hosted by the Government of the Canary Islands. The first Forum, officially launching the Initiative, took place in Chania, Greece, in September 2017.

Participants include high-level speakers from EU institutions, national ministers from several Member States, local authorities, citizens' organizations, business and academia, and together they will share best practices and try to enhance collaboration to advance the clean energy transition on EU islands and discuss progress on the Clean Energy for EU Islands Initiative. The Initiative promotes the energy self-reliance of islands, encourages the reduction of imported fossil fuel dependency, and facilitates the deployment of the best available clean technologies in islands. It is part of the European Commission’s ‘Clean Energy for All Europeans' package, and was endorsed by a Political Declaration on Clean Energy for EU Islands,  signed in Valletta, Malta, in May 2017. The Commission is committed to ensuring that the energy concerns of island inhabitants are at the forefront of the energy transition and are key to policy developments.

Find out more information about the event.

The event will be web-streamed