M4IEMA · Development of Environmental and Socio-economic Methodology for Island Economy Energy Metabolism. Construction Scenarios for Resilient Hydrogen Economy for Cuba

Islands are hotspots of biocultural diversity. The SIDS Lighthouses Initiative provides a global framework for energy transition on islands and the Smart Islands Initiative was developed by the European Union to encourage innovative island solutions that support sustainable economic growth. This challenge has been underlined in various IPCC and UN reports because island economies are vulnerable to global climate changes. The research project is highly relevant and actual. Worldwide, more than 700 million people live on islands which are frequently considered ideal environments for the transition to 100% renewable energy systems. Furthermore, island economies need to be energy resilient for instance, to invest in energy diversity, infrastructure, research and development, and governance. A foresight methodological framework development to integrate the political, economic, socio, technical, environmental, cultural and managerial systems (PESTECM) is a critical phase to go beyond island energy metabolism and foster the development of synergetic resilience. This project aims to create a methodology for islands synergetic resilience assessment considering the synergies and trade-offs between different energy resource-use patterns and sectoral development paths. In addition, this project will implement the novel validated and developed methods in previous research projects by the research team, and evaluate the potential dynamizer role of hydrogen in island developing countries from PESTECM approach and its fostering impact. Last but not least, it will be constructing synergetic resilience scenarios for future development paths for Cuba, as a study case, in the interlinked PESTECM approach for the multisectoral planning to achieve sustainable island metabolism.