A Danish lesson for Tasmanian communities

Hobart Mercury
Tuesday 23/9/2008 Page: 25

THERE'S this island, off the coast of a continent, where winters are bracing - some would say cold. There are some who believe the island, even with its small population. can be self-sufficient in renewable energy, producing enough not just to keep warm but also to export to the mainland. Does this sound vaguely familiar? Well, while Tasmania is often in my thoughts, this time I'm thinking of a much smaller island called Samso, whose 4000 inhabitants have achieved astonishing success in their quest to live within their means and give something back to their planet.

Samso, part of Denmark, is a low lying island (highest point less than 100m above sea level) some 20km off the coast of the peninsula of Jutland. It has no rushing streams for hydro power, but it has plenty of wind. In the raid-1990s the good citizens of Samso saw the potential for wind energy, supplemented by rooftop solar panels and locally-made biofuels, to give them the energy they needed to turn off their oil-fired plants.

Then they set about making their dream a reality, raising the equivalent of about $100 million to install the wind turbines and other plant and equipment they needed. They met all construction costs from their own resources. It has to be said that they enjoy some advantages over inhabitants of Tasmania. Denmark's per-capita income is about a third higher than Australia's, so the people of Samso had a much greater individual capacity than we would to snake a tidy contribution to the kitty.

They also had the benefit of a Danish government subsidy which meets up to half the cost to consumers of renewable energy such as wind and solar, plus some incentive from the European Union. But remember, we're talking about a mere 4000 people, a tiny fraction of Tasmania's population of over 495,000.

A US journalist commented to a Samso local that the island's success was a classic example of "thinking globally, acting locally". The resident responded that with the global picture so bleak, he found it more comforting to "think local, act local". Whatever our global perspective, Samso emphasises for us and the rest of the world the importance of local action. And this brings to mind the potential role of local and regional government - as yet far from realised in Australia - in preparing communities for a tougher future.

There is already plenty of evidence that Tasmania's local authorities are in for a big shake-up as rising global temperatures begin to affect our own weather and climate. With a likelihood that our populated areas will experience lower rainfall, water supply and wildfire control will become increasingly significant local issues. More severe weather events will mean more wind damage and higher stormwater flows, and rising sea levels will put coastal services at risk.

If these threats aren't currently a concern to local councils, it's high time they were. There's clearly much to be done to help communities adapt to a changed environment, in the process reducing the risk of potentially crippling legal action against authorities. But the biggest challenge remains to reduce our rising contribution to this gigantic mess. If we in this island community can take some lessons from the Samso experience - even if the world remains in a quagmire - we'll feel a whole lot better.

Peter Boyer is a Hobart-based science writer and a presenter for Al Gore's Climate Project.

peterboyer@southwind com.au