Autonomy without independence

Islands around the world display wide-ranging levels of political, cultural and economic autonomy. At one end is full independence and at the other total assimilation within a governing 'parent' state. Between these opposites lie an increasing number of islands that seek autonomy without independence.

Limited resources, small size and isolation mean that island economies are often highly unstable. When development opportunities do arise, an island may have neither the capacity nor the jurisdictional powers to manage the activity. Consequently, ownership and control of such development is frequently dominated by off-island interests.

Fishing, tourism and extractive industries are often controlled by off-island interests. The search for profit routinely pushes the scale of activity beyond the limits of sustainability. Effective management of island resources requires local control but achieving this is not easy. Independence gives total control of resources, but the governing state may be unwilling to cede sovereignty. Also, administrative burdens of sovereignty can be high for small states. Instead, many islands now seek increased autonomy while remaining part of their parent state.

New opportunities exist for enhanced island autonomy. Modern information technology allows islands to participate in global networks, such as trade networks which link them directly with other countries. Many islands develop cultural and political links with other islands (for example, through the Island Games Association or the Global Island Network).

International laws and agreements provide opportunities for islands to increase their autonomy. In the Galapagos Islands, the United Nations World Heritage status has resulted in the enactment of the Special Law of the Galapagos. This gives the islands control over fisheries and tourism. Mainland Ecuadorian interests are now excluded from exploiting the islands' resources, creating the opportunity for sustainable resource management.

The number of Sub-National Island Jurisdictions around the world is increasing. These arrangements give islands the autonomy to control internal resources and policies without the burden and risks of full independence. Effective arrangements often display the following features:

• an external source of influence which can encourage the parent state to relinquish control over island resources (for example, Easter Island/Rapa Nui, a UNESCO World Heritage site)
• alliances with other islands, used to lobby for special arrangements in international fora (for example, the Conference of Peripheral Maritime Regions around Europe)
• economic relationships with other countries helping reduce dependency on the parent state (for example, the Falkland Islands leasing fishing rights to Japan)
• a strong sense of identity or indigenous island culture that drives local political elites to pursue, attain and protect autonomy (for example, Baffin Island/Nunavut, Corsica)
• shared values and common goals necessary for the effective management of island resources (for example, Shetland Islands, Gotland).

It would, however, be a mistake to assume that local control of resources automatically leads to sustainable resource management. In the event of competing local claims to island resources, individual groups must be prepared to compromise in order to reach agreement. Local groups would have to place a higher value on the success of the management process (or island autonomy) than their own claim on resources.

Sandy Kerr
International Centre for Island Technology, Heriot Watt University, Orkney KWI6 3AW, UK
T +44 (0)1856 850605
s.kerr@hw.ac.uk

See also

'Exploring Sub National Island Jurisdictions' special issue of The Round Table: The Commonwealth Journal of International Affairs, 95 (3) edited by Godfrey Baldacchino and David Milne, 2006

Islands at the Crossroads: Politics in the Non-Independent Caribbean, Ian Randle Publishers Kingston, edited by A.G. Ramos and A.I. Rivera, 2001

'What is Sustainable Island Development About?' Ocean and Coastal Management, 48 (7-8), pages 503-524, by Sandy Kerr, 2005

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