Chaniaeclaration

Islands - Towards 100% RenewableEnergy Sources Supply

We, the participants ofthe Con-ference on "Renewable En-ergies for Islands - Towards

100% RES Supply", meeting in Chania(Crete) on 14-16 June 2001,

Considering that the energy dimension isa fundamental aspect ofthe future devel-opment of islands, given their extreme de-pendence on extemal conventional energysources, high costs and the unacceptablerisks of supply security,

Mindful that the environmental impact ofconventional sources and technologies isgreater than on the mainland because ofthe fragile and vulnerable nature of is-land territories, thus endangering a Eu-ropean capital of the first magnitude,

Taking into accountthat island energy op-tions progressively determine other essen-tial aspects for sustainable island devel-opment like water management and pro-duction and inland transport policies,

Constdering that island economies havechanged significantly in the direction ofnew specialisation like tourism, creatingnew scenarios in which the demand forenergy is characterised by enonnous vari-ability, dispersion and even by large sea-sonal differences,

Aware that, although if they are consid-ered individually, islands do not accountfor a very high proportion of the Euro-pean energy market, when taken as awhole we face a problem that affects 4%ofthe landmass and over 13 million Eu-ropean citizens. And, furthennore, whileislands are thus recognized as most vul-nerable to climate change, they havemade the smallest contribution to itscauses,

Taking into account that most islandshave abundant, though little used renew-able energy sources whose distributionand potential for hybrid use is far moreelosely in line with island needs, and thatnew renewable energy technologies allowfor better integration than conventionalsystems, for reasons of scale,

Mindful that in this context, the 1st Eu-ropean Conference on Sustainable IslandDevelopment (1997), in its final declara-tion, established that ''Non-renewable en-ergy sources must be considered as pro-visional solutions, unsuitable as a long-term solution to the energy problem in is-lands",

Considering that artieles 154 and 158 ofthe Amsterdam Treaty, and deelarationnumber 30 enclosed, establish basisenough for considering the island factoras a substantial difference in favour ofrenewable energies,

Recalling the dispositions and recornmen-dations in favour of implementing renew-able energy sources on a large scale in Eu-ropean islands, which forro part of thePalma de Majorca Dec1aration of 20thMarch 1999, the Kos Resolution of 11thMay 2000, the Madeira Dec1aration of2001 and in the Cagliari Declaration ofthe24th ofFebruary, 2001,

Recognising that the idea of attaining100% Renewable Energy Sources Sup-ply has become a powerful metaphor formany islands, supported by the appear-ance of real projects that demonstrate thereal possibility ofthis final objective andby the wide-spread wiIl of islands to es-tablish differentiated energy strategiesbased on a maximum use of renewableenergy sources.

Confirm our definite cornmitment to fos-ter the development ofthe renewable en-ergies on our islands, which is aimed toreach the 100% of energy supply.

Agree to share the experiences that de-rive from the 100% RES different initia-tives with other cornmunities and islandregions ofthe world and to foster the ex-change of information and solutionsadopted with the aim to permit its repli-cation in new initiatives.

Recognise the urgent necessity to gener-alize the measures that guarantee the ef-

ficient and rational use of energy as anindispensable condition for the big scaleimplementation of RES.

Understand that, being the islands themain actors of change, we should con-solidate the inter-island network coopera-tion for the development of demonstra-tion projects and guarantee the mutual as-sistance as it is expressed for example inthe rising model for the OPET EuropeanIslands.

Agree to promote the consolidation ofthe 100% RES Island Network in thecontext of the 100 Cornmunities 100%RES European Initiative as a structuralreference for the improvement and rep-lication of 100% RES solutions to otherislands.

Believe in the necessity of the develop-ment of different mechanisms that wiIlallow us to participate and involve theisland cornmunities in the process of thedecision-making in favour of the energysustainability.

Think that the cornmitment for buildingthe 100% RES Island Cornmunitiesshould inc1ude all sectors related to trans-port, water supply and management asweIl as the establishment of effective part-nership within the new economy actorson the islands in particularly the relatedto the tourist industry.

Crete, 2001

•OPElI,s.aaUINSULA • NTUA -RENES • ITER • ANCIM • HIIU MAAVALITSUS

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Sustainable Development