The Association Les Îles du Ponant (AIP) is a collaborative network uniting the municipalities of fifteen islands along the Atlantic and Channel coasts of France. This association provides crucial advisory and support services across various domains, including housing access, resource management (land, energy, water, environment), sustainable economic and tourism development, and local public services such as schools and healthcare centers.
Spotlight on the FREIIA Project: Groix and Ouessant
Two islands, Groix and Ouessant, are key participants in the FREIIA project, which aims to address unique challenges and foster sustainable development.
Groix
- Size: 15 km²
- Population: Approximately 2300 inhabitants year-round
- Connectivity: A robust ferry link to Lorient, with a minimum of five daily boats, connecting to an urban area of 120,000 inhabitants.
- Economic Dynamics: Groix benefits from its proximity to Lorient, maintaining entrepreneurial dynamism and a lower percentage of second homes (50%) compared to other islands in the association.
- Resource Management: Integrated into Lorient Agglomération, which manages water and waste facilities, providing shared resources and policies for the island.
Quessant
- Size: 15.5 km²
- Population: Approximately 840 inhabitants year-round
- Connectivity: More isolated with only one daily boat, which imposes significant structural constraints.
- Energy Insularity: Entirely reliant on local electricity production, primarily from a fuel-based power plant. The island is progressively integrating renewable energy sources, including photovoltaic devices and a tidal turbine.
- Agriculture: Recently initiated agricultural development, supporting three professional farmers, marking a significant shift in local food production.
- Autonomy: Manages its water and waste treatment independently, without being part of an intercommunal structure.
For les Îles du Ponant FREIIA is the perfect project to assess and design new outlooks and solutions on specific subjects: island resources valorization in a circular way; logistics solutions to reduce traffic congestion and to avoid waste of time for small businesses ; education and knowledge exchange and share between different groups of people (student, enterprises, tourists, etc) ; new housing solutions that allow people (especially the youth and the families) to work and live on the island.
Current Progress
The project is in an action-research phase, involving:
- Gathering insights from island stakeholders through face-to-face interviews about their challenges and desired solutions.
- Surveying university students from Université de Bretagne Occidentale and Université de Bretagne Sud on topics like circularity and entrepreneurship.
The next phase, starting in September, will involve design thinking workshops to develop practical projects and innovation policies, directly benefiting island stakeholders and supported by university student groups.
Learning from Other Islands
From Bornholm, we have gleaned valuable lessons:
- Zero Waste Ambition: The political drive and educational initiatives in schools to repurpose materials are noteworthy.
- Symsites Symbiosis Container: Producing biogas from local projects demonstrates the power of local-global synergy, combining local initiatives with EU funding.
- Marine Resource Awareness: Efforts by the NGO Ivandet to raise awareness about marine resources inspire similar potential initiatives in the Îles du Ponant.
The forthcoming phase of the FREIIA project will focus on:
- Engaging island stakeholders in solution-focused meetings.
- Establishing precise partnerships with university courses.
- Compiling and reporting insights from the initial phase.
By learning from other islands and leveraging local strengths, the AIP aims to foster sustainable development and innovative solutions across the Îles du Ponant, ensuring vibrant and resilient island communities for the future.