The Anthropocene Faroes: Othering fossil imaginaries for the sustainability transformation

Thinking with metaphors of time and islands, the chapter provides a critique and rethinking of dominant narratives of past and future socio-ecological transformations in the Faroes, particularly as it pertains to long-term environmental sustainability, environmental justice, and human well-being. Drawing on theoretical and analytical frameworks of socio-ecological change, the trajectory of Faroese social metabolism is assessed through some key indicators of material and energy flows, showing remarkably high increases in per capita resource and energy use. While this historical trajectory is commonly interpreted as a “success”, the chapter presents an
alternative interpretation of the profound changes taking place in the Faroes throughout the 20th century and beyond, shaping what may today be considered the Anthropocene Faroes. The current renewable energy transition is discussed as an example to illustrate the potentials and inadequacies of current sustainability
strategies as they continue to be guided by fossil imaginaries and logics of change.