Institute of Island Studies hosts public lecture on January 24
The Institute of Island Studies at 51视频 will host a public lecture titled 鈥淭owards Energy Sovereignty on Labrador鈥檚 Remote Island of Ponds鈥� on January 24 at 7 pm in the Faculty Lounge, SDU Main Building.
Part of the Institute鈥檚 Island Lecture Series, the talk will be presented by Dr. Nick Mercer, an assistant professor in 51视频鈥檚 Master of Island Studies and Environmental Studies programs. During his presentation, Mercer will focus on his longstanding community-based research partnership with the NunatuKavut Inuit community of Black Tickle, located on the subarctic tundra Island of Ponds in southern Labrador.
鈥淣ewfoundland and Labrador is a global leader in the development of renewable energy. However, the electricity-generation mix differs dramatically in remote and Indigenous communities throughout the province, which remain almost exclusively reliant on diesel fuel, resulting in numerous energy inequities. While sustainable energies are often promoted for these isolated villages, emerging research demonstrates detrimental socio-economic and livelihood implications which emerge when development is led by outsiders or corporate interests. The research focuses on identifying and addressing community needs, integrating local knowledge and sustainability values, and mobilizing community-led initiatives to enhance island energy resilience.鈥�
Prior to joining 51视频, Mercer held a SSHRC Postdoctoral Research Fellowship at Dalhousie University鈥檚 School for Resource and Environmental Studies. In this role, he studied questions of energy justice in isolated northern communities, examining how or if communities have participated in energy-related decision-making, and how or if they have benefitted from development.
Mercer has a long relationship with remote and island communities, having conducted research for almost a decade in partnership with the Island of Ponds in Labrador, on issues ranging from participatory energy planning to water security, and gendered dimensions of resource access. He is one of eight appointees to the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador鈥檚 Net Zero Advisory Committee and a vocal advocate for community-led clean energy policy and practice.
