For the many houses needed by Orkney, Kirkwall or Stromness haven’t sufficient land. There is land in the various islands, and communities short of young people, but despite heavy investment in ro-ro ferries, population numbers have stayed static or declined. The one exception is Burray, with the highest island primary school roll apart from Westray – and a fixed-link connection.

Are there better options to the present ro-ro routes to regenerate the islands? Should we compare costs and benefits with a move to true ro-ro with more terminals and shorter and more frequent inter-island links? Or expanded air freight to augment the inter-island air passenger service? Or fixed links? Or a carefully-integrated mix? Howie Firth summarises the story of the current pattern and sets out questions for discussion. Prof. Aseem Kinra of Heriot-Watt University shows how transport is a system for flows, with each element chosen to help the operation of the whole. A speaker from the Sustainable Aviation Test Environment (SATE) outlines new possibilities for air freight.

The Orkney Climate COP is supported by the Highlands & Islands Climate Hub.