EILEAN (Islands, Law and Sustainability)

Islands face many governance challenges, some of which may be shared with rural and isolated areas on the mainland. However, other features of the socio-ecological system in islands (as well as in some remote communities) also provide opportunities in innovation, which may be more difficult to achieve at sub-national, national or larger scales. The often tangible scale of discrete island ‘units’ can provide more accessible systems within which policy and management innovation can more easily occur.

Against this background, EILEAN explores the role of law in promoting island sustainability. In particular, it interrogates how island communities can use legal and political processes to foster sustainability. By combining academic rigour and policy experience, EILEAN is a platform that brings together topical island legal and policy questions related to sustainability. Another aspect of EILEAN is its focus on young islanders, climate change and sustainability. EILEAN means island in Gaelic and, despite a strong focus in its projects and activities on Scotland and its islands, the platform has a global reach.

EILEAN is led by Francesco Sindico, Founder of the Strathclyde Centre for Environmental Law and Governance, on secondment at the Scottish Government Islands Team where he is the lead of the Carbon Neutral Islands project. Francesco is also the Chair of the IUCN World Commission on Environmental Law Specialist Group on Climate Change Law.