Saving Iceland

HELGUVIK (ICELAND) – Early this morning activists from over 10 countries occupied the construction site where California-based Century Aluminum are constructing a new aluminium smelter, and chained themselves to machinery. The protest by the campaign Saving Iceland is aimed at damage to geothermal areas in southwest Iceland and Century’s environmental and human rights abuses in Jamaica and Africa.

As well as Century, other aluminium corporations ALCOA and Rio Tinto-Alcan want to construct new smelters. This would require exploitation of all the geothermal areas in the country, as well as damming all major glacial rivers (1).

Impact assessment: ’pollution will just blow away’
The construction of Century’s Helguvík plant depends on the expansion of geothermal power plants east of Reykjavik (Hellisheiði) and on the Reykjanes peninsula southwest of Reykjavik (2). Construction of the smelter began in June, without a valid environmental impact assessment. There is also no guarantee of sufficient energy (435 MW) for the smelter (3).
The environmental impact assessment for the Helguvik smelter was produced by the construction engineers HRV, who have designed smelters for ALCOA and Century (4). Read More

This article and BBC News feature details the opposition of the Dongria Kondh people in Orissa, Northeast India, to bauxite mining by mining giant Vedanta, which is having a severe impact on the ecosystems of this area. The mined bauxite or refined alumina are sold to aluminium corporations.

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During our protest camp this summer, that starts 12th of July, a week of international solidarity actions will take place from July 21st to 27th.
People who can not come to the camp but want to support the resistance against heavy industry in Iceland, should take a look at Saving Iceland’s target brochure (which can be found here) and use their imagination. Read More

Court Delays Hydropower Projects in Þjórsá

If all heavy industry projects that are planned in Iceland will be executed, the sector will require the double amount of energy that is uses today. The heavy industry sector currently uses about 61 percent of all energy produced in Iceland. Landsvirkjun has stated that the planned Þjórsá and Tungnaá (Langisjór) dams and geothermal exploitation (þeistareykir, Krafla, Hengill and Reykjanes) will not be sufficient and more power projects are needed. Landsvirkjun is basically suggesting that the whole original energy masterplan would need to be reactivated, contrary to supposed government policy.

In the mean time, the court case between landowners by Þjórsá river in south Iceland versus the state, on the harnessing rights of the river, will delay the construction of three planned hydropower plants, because of so-called Titan Agreements (an old water agreement). Read More

On Sunday the 20th July Saving Iceland and members of Sól á Suðurlandi and the Icelandic Mountain Guides will team up to lead a public tour around areas of Þjórsá threatened by three planned dam projects. A coach will leave Reykjavík at 12:00 noon and return by 18:00, costing 500 kr for the whole tour.
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The price of aluminum has risen by more than 35 percent since the beginning of 2008. Aluminium prices hit a record high this week as China, the world’s biggest producer, ordered smelters to reduce production because of power shortages. In Africa, electricity prices for consumers skyrocket as ESKOM, Landsvirkjun’s South African partner, attempts to free up energy for aluminium. As electricity is redirected to aluminium corporations, people suffer blackouts. Read More

Due to Iceland’s current difficult economic situation (read our recent report Iceland Overheats) and the rapidly increasing aluminium prices. Prime Minister Geir H. Haarde (Independence Party, Sjálfstæðisflokkurinn), who is doing his best to negotiate new emission rights with the UN, and the Icelandic authorities are now more likely than ever before to approve new aluminium smelters.
Apparently the Social Democratic Alliance, who are part of the current coalition government with the Independence Party, drank too much of the Greek Lethe River. Those who drink from it experience complete forgetfulness, exhibiting concealment

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The 2008 camp for action against Iceland’s heavy industrialisation has now begun. We welcome the support of all those who want to stop the aluminium industries ongoing ecological and social destruction to join us in direct actions against them. Camp Hellisheiði can be reached by two-wheel drive vehicles and bicycles. Direct action workshops and vegan food is provided for free or donation.

Bring a tent! Read More

A recent exploration of the geothermal drilling sites in the North of Iceland by some members of Saving Iceland, uncovered shocking evidence of pollution and ecological damage at the Þeistareykir geothermal area near to Husavík.
Þeistareykir is one of three sites in the North currently being test drilled and researched to power the upcoming 250,000 tonne ALCOA smelter proposed at Bakki in Husavík. The area is about an hours drive from the main road down a rough track, and is located about half way between Husavík and Krafla (the biggest geothermal zone in the North, where extensive expansion to the current power plant is also taking place). Read More

Food Not Bombs in Reykjavik

The G8 summit will be held from July 7 to 9 of this year, at Toya-ko lake in Hokkaido (Japan). In solidarity with the worldwide plan of actions held against the kind of globalization promoted by G8 and the repression of Japanese police against activists, an action also took place in Reykjavik yesterday. Beginning a few months ago, the energetic and enthusiastic Icelandic Food Not Bombs group has been serving food for free every Saturday in the center of Reykjavik.This is definetely a succesful activity where not only the homeless people from Reykjavik, but also the Saturday afternooon shoppers, passersby and promenading tourists find their way to a healthy vegan lunch, prepared with ingredients which are not any longer considered as worthy for consumption by our throw-it-away society. Read More