3 Douglas Row, Portree, Isle of Skye. IV51 9DD

Recognising that islands are characterised by various barriers to growth and development (such as remoteness, peripherality to central decision-making, specialist skills and economies etc.), the Global Islands Network (GIN) is a centralised resource that connects and coordinates several groups (such as islanders, NGOs, government agencies, university departments, and community groups), to conduct and promote culturally appropriate, ecologically sound, economically sustainable, and socially equitable development on islands. The issues that GIN collaborates on include those that: improve production of renewable energy, minimise waste, introduce efficient public transport, raise standards of water and air quality, safeguard endangered species, preserve traditional island cultures, respect indigenous peoples, languages and customs, and foster gender equality

The concept for GIN started in 1994 when the Director of an independent environmental research charity, Habitat, attended the United Nations Global Conference on the Sustainable Development of Small Island Developing States and the NGO Islands Forum held in Barbados. The meeting outcomes proposed solutions to 14 priority problems for small islands, including the need for regional networks to strengthen small island sustainability. To meet this requirement, Habitat established the Skye International Teleservice Centre (SITC) in January 1995, which trained local Skye students on developing and running a regional website/network. In January 1997, the SITC became a founder member of the not-for-profit Island Web Consortium (IWC) and in October 2000, following the Islands of the World VI conference, the concept for GIN (working group and website for small islands) was agreed (source: http://www.globalislands.net/index.php)