The Law School strengthens collaborations with Nordic partners in discussions about islands and water law
From Monday 25 to Thursday 28 August 2025 the Law School welcomed a visit from colleagues coming from the Faroe Islands Geological Survey and the Norwegian University of Life Sciences. The visit was organised by Prof Francesco Sindico as a follow up activity to his role as Co-Chair of the International Scientific Committee of the 1st International Water Resources Association (IWRA) Islands Water Congress that took place in the Faroe Islands in September 2024.
At the Congress the topic of regulation of freshwater resources was highlighted by experts from 196 countries discussing examples coming from 33 islands and 4 island groupings around the world. The topic was and still is very important in the Faroe Islands, which shares parallels with Scotland. Both are considered, and in part still are, water rich countries, but both are also facing significant changes in rainfall patterns and other water related challenges stemming from climate change such as droughts and floods. These changes call for a revisitation of how freshwater is not only perceived in the two countries, but also of how it is regulated. Adaptive management is crucial if the Faroe Islands and Scotland want to continue to manage freshwater resources in a sustainable manner.
During the visit Dr Óluva Eidesgaard and Dr Jana Ólavsdóttir from the Faroese Geological Survey and Prof Gunnhild Storbekkrønning Solli from the Norwegian University of Life Sciences discussed in depth the topic of water law in the Faroe Islands, which was compared to examples from freshwater regulation in Norway and Scotland. Also joining the conversation were Prof Jill Robbie from the University of Glasgow and (via video link) Prof Gabriel Eckstein from Texas A&M University, which took place over two days at the premises of Strathclyde Inspire at the University of Strathclyde and at the University of Glasgow Advanced Research Centre.
On Tuesday 26 Prof Gunnhild Storbekkrønning Solli delivered an excellent seminar titled “Wetter, Wilder, and Yet Drier... Perspectives on Manoeuvring Water Licenses in Times of Climate Change” to a mixed audience of lawyers and civil environmental engineers and other experts both in person and on line. You can find her slides here.
Developments in Faroe Islands water law and policy will continue to be discussed as part of IWRA’s Islands and Water Task Force activities led by Prof Francesco Sindico. The Task Force will be organising a special session at the forthcoming XIX IWRA World Water Congress in Marrakech in December 2025.
