Independence hero wrapped in aluminium

Jon Swan
World Rivers Review
Volume 18, No. 1, 2003
Published by International Rivers Network

Iceland - famed for its geysers, glaciers, salmon rivers, and its one international celebrity, pop singer Bjork - has long enjoyed the reputation of being a squeaky-clean, environmentally aware country. This image has been burnished by dozens of articles touting the nation's stated goal of becoming a "hydrogen economy" (with its energy coming from fuel cells) by 2040. It was further enhanced when, on Earth Day 2001, the country's prime minister flew to New York to accept a "Global Green USA" award in acknowledgment of this laudable energy plan.

From Julian Cope's Head Heritage.

The Icelandic government is planning to destroy the largest remaining intact wilderness in Europe by building the Kárahnjúkar dam. It will be the largest dam of its kind in Europe, creating a reservoir of around 60 sq km. It’s not just that the submerged land will be obliterated, but the land beyond the dam will be deprived of water.

The area is land of huge ecological significance, designated an environmentally protected area, the oldest surviving areas of Iceland’s original vegetation. Around 380 square miles will be directly affected, with adjacent rivers, land and sea secondarily impacted.