News

Jan 15 2008

Saving Iceland Update 2008: UK Mini-Gathering


pinkfooted_nottingham_flickr

Nottingham and Iceland are both home to pink footed geese
and dark-green activists…

A day of talks and film showings to pass on information about the on-going international campaign and the current situation in Iceland

Friday 22nd February 2008, Sumac Centre, Nottingham

The event is aimed at:

  • Activists who have been involved with Saving Iceland in the past, have parted company for whatever reason, but would like to know what�s happening now
  • UK-based Saving Iceland activists who were unable to make it to the recent organising gatherings abroad and would like an update
  • People who are new to the issue but are interested to find out about this great ecological threat to our relatively local wilderness.
  • Anyone with questions about the campaign Read More
  • Jan 14 2008

    Survival stories: Challenges facing youth in Trinidad and Tobago


    Gabrielle Jamela Hosein has written a thought provoking article that gathers together a feminist, racial and land based critique of Trinidad’s so called Vision 2020 development plan, which focuses on development through aluminium smelting and other heavy industries. Below is an extract, the full article can be found here Read More

    Dec 20 2007
    1 Comment

    Kárahnjúkar Reservoir Bigger than “Expected”


    Tofrafoss

    Töfrafoss, now ‘unexpectedly’ underwater

    Saving Iceland

    What a surprise! After five years of listening to news of delays, accidents, deaths and so on at the Kárahnjúkar worksite, who would ever have imagined that there was something strange about Landsvirkjun’s portrayal of the whole affair?

    In Morgunblaðið on the 28th of November Völundur Jóhannesson, tourist industry pioneer in the east of Iceland, spoke about Töfrafoss (the magic waterfall) dissappearing under Hálslón. Read More

    Dec 16 2007

    Icelandic Santas Cause Mischief in Hengill


    santacrUpdate: check out the new ‘Potatoes for Heavy Industry’ film on YouTube. [In Icelandic and English]

    On Saturday nine ‘jólasveinar’ wandered into the Hellisheiði Powerplant by Mount Hengill, expressing their opposition to the rise of heavy industry and other nature devastating activities in Iceland, as well as solidarity with human nature conservationists. (The jolasveinar are 13 Icelandic santas, born of a child-eating troll mother, who descend from the mountains in the days before christmas to sneak through the houses, stealing, teasing and causing mischief.) Read More

    Nov 28 2007
    1 Comment

    Plans to Dam Farið River in Southwestern Highlands


    Reykjavík Energy (OR) is examining the feasibility of harnessing Farid, a river that runs out of Hagavatn lake, south of Langjökull glacier in Iceland’s western highlands, and constructing a 30 to 40 MW hydroelectric plant there.

    Farid would be dammed and another dam would also be constructed above Leynifoss waterfall, Morgunbladid reports.

    The Ministry of Industry granted permission earlier this year for OR to examine this possibility and to see whether the prevention soil eruption and production of hydroelectric power could go together.

    Employees of the Soil Conservation Service of Iceland have long considered damming the river to prevent soil eruption in the area since they believe it originates in the dried-up base of Hagavatn lake.

    The Icelandic Institute of Natural History, however, believes that if Hagavatn lake is used as a reservoir, soil erosion from its base will increase in late winter and early summer.

    Director of the Icelandic Tourist Association Ólafur Örn Haraldsson is against the plans. “A dam and a power plant will destroy one of the most spectacular land formation processes of Langjökull,” he said, adding the area is like an open and easily readable geology book.

    Haraldsson said the area is becoming an increasingly popular hiking destination, which has the potential to become as popular as Laugavegur hiking route to Landmannalaugar, south Iceland.

    Nov 27 2007

    Will Iceland Get Another Exemption Under the Kyoto?


    Iceland Review
    11/27/2007

    Minister of the Environment Thórunn Sveinbjarnardóttir says that every nation needs to be responsible after the Kyoto Protocol expires in 2012 and that special needs will not be relevant.

    According to her, Iceland should not apply for further exemptions.

    Post-Kyoto negotiations will take place at the 2007 United Nations Climate Change Conference in Bali, Indonesia, between December 3 and 14.

    When the Kyoto Protocol was agreed upon, Iceland was given a special exemption to increase greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by ten percent while most other nations were obligated to reduce their average emissions by 5.2 percent, Morgunbladid reports. Read More

    Nov 26 2007
    1 Comment

    Big Time Trouble without Bitruvirkjun says Mayor


    Hengill3

    Active pools in the Hengill area (where Bitruvirkjun is planned)

    From Fréttablaðið
    26 November 2007

    Ólafur Áki Ragnarsson, the Mayor of Ölfus, says the overwhelming negative stance of the town of Hveragerði will not have definite influence on whether the Bitruvirkjun power plant goes ahead. The power was earmarked for an Alcan Aluminium smelter in Helguvík. Read More

    Nov 22 2007

    Iceland’s Special Kyoto Deal Still Not Enough for Industrial Plans


    7/11/2007

    Prime minister Geir H. Harde has revealed his opinion that Iceland should negotiate for another special deal on carbon emmissions in the upcoming 2012 Kyoto agreement renewal. Read More

    Nov 19 2007

    Climate Change-Iceland: Emissions Quota Debate Heats Up


    By Lowana Veal, Inter Press Service, 19 November 2007

    “I am of the opinion that Iceland should not ask for a repeat of the Iceland Provision in the upcoming climate change negotiations,” says Iceland’s environment minister Thorunn Sveinbjarnardottir.
    The Iceland Provision was the exemption given to Iceland when the Kyoto Protocol went into effect in 2005. Because Iceland derives 72 percent of its energy needs from renewable energy and had little heavy industry at the time the Protocol was agreed, the country was allowed to increase its greenhouse gas emissions by 10 percent from their 1990 level, rather than decrease emissions by at least 5 percent like most of the other signatories are required to do.
    During the first commitment period, 2008-2112, the Iceland Provision allows for emissions averaging 1.6 million tonnes annually of carbon dioxide from energy-intensive industries that had not existed prior to 1990.
    Read More

    Nov 14 2007
    4 Comments

    Iceland’s Independence Hero Joins Curse Against Heavy Industry


    curse1_small

    On Friday night the 9th of November a dramatic and theatrical action took place outside the Icelandic parliament, in which politicians who voted for the environmentally disastrous Kárahnjúkar project, were ridiculed and cursed. The event marked the turning on of the power station and first turbines in Fljótsdalur on Monday the 5th, and serves as a reminder to the Icelandic government that we have not forgotten their corrupt behavior towards this unrivaled magical wilderness. Read More

    Náttúruvaktin