Sad times for Iceland

Most of us from the U.K. are all too painfully aware of the environmental damage that up to 60 million people can make over a few millenia (some, although not all of it unavoidable). Much of the human damage seen today in the U.K. is historic: over 6000 years of human settlement on a small, temperate island takes its toll. It seems that since the agricultural advancements of the past couple of centuries, the irreversible loss of our semi-natural habitats, the potential for devastating agricultural diseases related to intensive farming practises, and other problems of human overcrowding are only recently being acknowledged. Deserved attention is only now being given to these factors.

Over here in Iceland the habitat remains relatively pristine in comparison. All bodes well, as for the size of the place, there is a very low human population of less than 300 000, (in an area approximately half the size of the whole of the British Isles). For those living over here my impression is that there is good infra-structure and communities are very adequately developed; human quality of life and standards of living are high and comfortable. Somewhat deceptively, it seems that Nature still reigns supreme - step outside your cozy community and the environment here is pretty hostile for humans: only 1/7th of the land area is vegetated, and the rest is largely composed of gravel (sand) deserts, glaciers, volcanic lava and boulders. Iceland seems by first impression to be an area of remarkable landscapes and little-disturbance, precariously perched on the tip of Europe.

However, although gateway to the Arctic (for millions of seabirds, waders and marine life), and independent in so many ways, Iceland remains a part of Europe. And, in being part of Europe, this means a relentless political yearning for technological advancement, economic growth and... er, habitat destruction?

I am not a politician, but it takes little effort to appreciate that relatively cheap energy might be harnessed, bought, and traded using the extensive natural resource potential of Iceland´s natural thermal water sources, deep gorges and powerful rivers...

But where are the constraints to large-scale development, and what limits are set by the Icelandic Government/agencies to prevent the misuse of technology, and to set standards to keep in check the potential for over-development?

A recent dam construction project in East Iceland´s rugged interior, has been a political 'hot' issue, and one example. There was there was some oppostion to the development of this 57 square km reservoir system, built to supply hydro-power for an alumininium smelter owned by a U.S. company. But planning and development bulldozed ahead anyway, and now the country seems to have forgotten there was ever opposition.

See this recent BBC link for more info on the Karahnjkukar Dam. It also made the international news prior to construction.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/programmes/crossing_continents/6453703.stm
and here´s a link to a friend out here who is also blogging/ranting about this topic currently, and who prompted me to write this posting (in case you´d like further info./anothers views on this)

http://www.whereiskelso.blogspot.com/

Other links on this...

http://www.savingiceland.org/

(this is a rather emotive website: unsure of it´s authorship (i.e. it is not Icelandic I don´t think), but it has some interesting stories nonetheless and worth a look if you have any interest in this topic)

I wonder what might happen next time such a project is planned? The very same, I fear.


I don´t know if many people outside Iceland realise what is going on here, and the speed at which so-called progress is taking place... I didn´t, and as I don´t speak the language and am not integrated within the culture I feel rather impotent to react. I guess writing this posting is just an attempt to raise some international awareness from my blog-reading buddies back home. It was a shock to me to discover how rapidly Iceland may be losing it´s world famous landscapes. I think these are sad times for Iceland.