Policy accepted October 13, 2019
That environmental and climate issues are viewed as humanitarian issues concerning the rights of future generations to life. It shall therefore be the duty of the authorities to protect nature and biodiversity and the legislature utilized for this in every respect.
That the capitalist economy and neoliberal approaches to environmental issues be abandoned, and that holistic solutions be found where the responsibility and emphasis are primarily placed on states, municipalities, and companies.
That a climate emergency be declared and Icelandic authorities shall respond to this problem swiftly and decisively, and in cooperation with the international community.
That nature and its ecosystem are always paramount in all decisions concerning it, and that the right of future generations to a healthy life is always placed above considerations of financial gain for individuals and companies.
To support food production in the local environment through electricity subsidies for greenhouse cultivation, and aiming for local community lifestyles.
That all residents of the country are enabled to live an environmentally friendly life regardless of economic status and residence. Then there shall be increased general and accessible education to the public about environmentally friendly and sustainable lifestyles.
That radical steps be taken to cease the use of single-use plastic and prevent plastic pollution and overpackaging by all available means.
That frequent and robust public transport is viewed as a part of environmental protection and an obvious service to residents throughout the country.
To stop further heavy industry and increase oversight of the large companies that already exist with the goal of reducing pollution.
To impose obligations on companies and institutions to prevent waste of food and other usable goods and reduce landfilling.
To increase people's opportunities to acquire or convert their vehicles into more environmentally friendly vehicles.
To safeguard marine life through species protection and a ban on overfishing and discards.
That all construction of structures is carried out in an environmentally friendly manner, taking into account design, material use, and implementation.
That municipalities take responsibility and establish a sorting system that makes it easier for residents to sort waste at their homes, free of charge.
Reviewing air and sea transport to and from the country from an environmental perspective.
To green the land, restore the wetlands, and increase tree cultivation for the country's carbon offsetting.
To make radical changes to fuel use and prevent heavy fuel oil emissions off the country's coasts.
To limit the use of studded tires as far as possible and limit all possible causes of particulate matter.
That oversight be increased in water utilization and that wastewater be used where appropriate. Furthermore, that companies pay an adequate fee for water utilization in the form of a resource fee, as water is one of the most valuable resources of the future.
That environmental issues are viewed as common interests of all inhabitants of the Earth by examining and taking into account global ecological footprints and the true cost of production and its impact on people and ecosystems in more distant countries, no less than in the immediate environment.
Environmental and climate issues are ethical and humanitarian matters that concern everyone, and we must take a clear stance on them. The global warming we face calls for a declaration of a climate emergency and a response with revolutionary systemic changes. A capitalist market economy, which encourages maximum production and maximum profit, is the greatest enemy of the ecosystem and the largest contributing factor to the climate changes we face. The production methods of large corporations and the consumption habits of people today inevitably exploit nature, and this must be addressed with sanctions and powerful regulatory bodies. Solutions of so-called “green capitalism” and an individual-centered approach in the spirit of neoliberalism do not work to combat the climate problem. It is important to raise public awareness about reducing consumption, utilizing, and recycling, but the real problem lies at the production end of the product. The focus of the regulatory framework must be on production and import, rather than on "punishing" the consumer for consuming what has already been produced.
Domestic production must be strengthened, and the aim should be a more sustainable society. Imports of goods that can be produced under domestic conditions should be stopped. Domestic vegetable and fruit cultivation, as well as bean and grain cultivation, should be promoted through public subsidies for green energy. Efforts should be made to reduce intermediaries as much as possible and give consumers easy access to food producers. Enjoying healthy, organic foods has not been economically accessible to everyone. It is important that opportunities to live a healthy life and to practice nature conservation do not depend on people's social class or status.
Regulatory bodies must fulfill their role, and laws and sanctions must be effective and respected. The Environment Agency (Umhverfisstofnun) needs to be strengthened, oversight coordinated, and work processes ensured to be clear and transparent. Efforts must be made to combat corporate “greenwashing” and ensure that carbon offsetting is not carried out on false premises. Information flow needs to be enhanced, and financial interests prevented from dominating the discussion. Furthermore, people's access to participation in environmental matters should be strengthened, and policy-making and decisions made more democratic.
The state and municipalities must ensure that residents can manage responsible waste disposal. Sorting bins and compost bins need to be at every house in the near future.
Plastic processing depletes our fossil resources and pollutes the ecosystem. Consumption habits need to change, and single-use consumption must cease as soon as possible. The use of glass bottles and other reusable materials should be reintroduced.
Laws must be enacted to prevent supermarkets, institutions, and companies from landfilling surplus food and to establish a system that ensures these foods are utilized where needed, preventing overproduction and waste. The entire operating environment for reuse and repairs should be facilitated to reduce overproduction of goods such as electronics and clothing, and to increase consumer protection regarding product durability and quality. This will promote better utilization and less landfilling.
Public transport needs to be greatly improved and operated with the view that it is an essential service for residents throughout the country and key to reducing pollution, not with the goal of its operation being self-sustaining or profitable. Oil production is a major problem, and the production of electric vehicles is also polluting and rapidly depletes Earth's resources. Exploitation and destruction of ecosystems are an inevitable consequence of this production, and it is difficult to avoid thinking about these issues globally. Therefore, replacing energy sources or switching to electric cars is not a complete solution; instead, a holistic approach is needed to make public transport a better option and the private car unnecessary for most, while also making it easier for people to convert their vehicles and make them more environmentally friendly, for example, with methane.
Reducing air travel is an important goal, as it is a highly polluting mode of transport. However, it must be kept in mind that we live on an island at a considerable distance from most destinations, and there is a risk that restrictions on flights in the form of quotas and taxes will disproportionately affect those with fewer financial means who already find it most difficult to utilize air travel. All flight restrictions must be considered with this in mind, focusing on the airlines that fly here and looking at the utilization of trips. In particular, the traffic of military aircraft, private jets, sightseeing planes, and air traffic that pollutes relatively much compared to the number of passengers needs to be limited.
“Heavy fuel oil” is a collective term for heavy and viscous oils that can contain a high proportion of sulfur, and heavy fuel oil is used, among other things, in shipping. It pollutes more than other fuels and releases a lot of soot into the atmosphere when it burns. Most cruise ships burn heavy fuel oil, and its combustion releases a large amount of soot particles into the atmosphere. Such particles are harmful to human health, and this type of air pollution is considered responsible for the deaths of millions of people worldwide annually. Rapeseed can be cultivated for the production of biodiesel and used for our fleet. We have the land area and the know-how to produce biodiesel. Furthermore, rapeseed offsets twice as much carbon as is produced by the combustion of biodiesel.
The exploitation and destruction of ecosystems in the “Global South” are interconnected with globalized capitalism, the climate crisis, and the environmental and resource problems we face today. The exploitation by previous generations has increased the prosperity of Westerners, while the poorest countries often suffer the most. Over-cultivation and deforestation to create arable land for specific types of vegetables for consumers in Western countries have disrupted the lives and food security of people worldwide. The destruction of forests causes climate changes that manifest as droughts, floods, pollution, and ecosystem disruption, which in turn causes displacement from areas that are no longer habitable. Therefore, it is not only our society that we need to consider; rather, we must scrutinize the production chain and consider all the people involved in it and the sacrifices it entails. These issues must always be considered in a global context, and we must recognize our privileged position and show full solidarity with people in other countries.