A failure of imagination
SHETLAND Islands Council’s vision of the future has been criticised by a local community group as being “flawed” and “unrealistic”.
Transition Shetland, which is concerned with planning for a future in light of peak oil and climate change, has welcomed the council’s “scenario planning” exercise, in which it imagines Shetland’s future.
However the group believes the people who have drawn up the various scenarios have failed to consider how much the islands will be affected by rising oil prices.
In a six page response to the planning exercise, the group says: “There is a general underestimation of the impact that rising oil and commodity prices will have on the community and the economy. This is a crucial mistake
“These scenarios make only a half-hearted stab at imagining the possible effect of this on our lives. Unless Shetland can focus much harder on increasing community resilience to such changes, we are, as it were, asking for trouble.”
The group has praised the council for running the scenario planning exercise and praises its emphasis on the importance of local food production, the importance of communities, energy efficiency and tackling divisions.
“It is to be hoped this kind of planning and forward thinking will mark an end to the seemingly directionless policy making that has characterised the council’s activities over recent years.”
However it complains the council has assumed the global economy will remain largely unchanged, that the economy is paramount for community well-being and that “what is good for Lerwick is good for Shetland”.
The group says: “We believe that communities can and should be able to thrive no matter where they are. In future there should be less emphasis on improving access between remote places and Lerwick…and more on strengthening the elements necessary for these places to prosper.”
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The group concludes the council’s most optimistic scenario is a “fantasy” that reflects the view that “decision makers are already on the right track”.
The group says: “The scenarios seem to us something of a wasted opportunity…We would like to think it was possible to imagine a positive future for Shetland that is realistic, that is consistent, that is achievable. The ‘scenario planning’ has not achieved this, however.”
The Transition Shetland statement can be read at
http://www.transitionshetland.org.uk/scenario-response.html
The council is looking for responses to the scenario planning exercise by 16 September. Details about the exercise and how to respond can be found at
http://www.shetland.org/2030/index.php
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