Policy Briefs

Policy Brief 1 Social Justice (pdf)

The briefing presents opportunities for justice to be achieved across the 3 justice principles (distributional, procedural and recognitional justice) and highlights the need for an improved transition process from fossil fuels to marine renewable energy.

Improvements in just transition processes will support fairer and less contested outcomes. This is relevant to wider management challenges, marine and land processes, and areas of policy development.

It it based on the following research undertaken at UHI Shetland.

• Withouck, I. (2022). The siting of renewable energy developments in a crowded marine space. UHI, PhD Thesis.
• Withouck, I., Tett, P., Doran, J., Mouat, B and Shucksmith, R. (2023) Diving into just transition: How fisheries considered during the emergence of renewable energy production in Scottish waters. Energy Research and Social Science, 101, 103135. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.erss.2023.103135

Mapping Blue Carbon Policy Brief (PDF)

The briefing presents the role of blue carbon and marine habitats in contributing to net zero objectives. It emphasises the importance of comprehensive mapping and modelling techniques to ensure the effective protection, potential restoration, and accurate quantification of carbon sequestration within these habitats.

It is based on the following research undertaken at UHI Shetland.

• Riley, T.G., R..J. Shucksmith, and B. Mouat, Distribution modelling of the Shetland Islands benthic habitats. 2024, Shetland UHI report. p. 99.
• Shelmerdine, R. L., Robinson, M., Johnson, A., Leslie, B., Stone, D., & Tait, L. (2013). Assessment of the appropriateness of areas closed to protect priority marine features from scallop dredging around Shetland. 2013. 25.