Iceland

Iceland is not part of the EU but is an EEA Member State and thus adopts most EU directives, though certain domains, such as agriculture and fisheries, are exempt. Governance in Iceland is organized at national and local levels, each with democratically elected bodies. The responsibility for land use planning lies at the local level, authorised by the National Planning Strategy and enforced through municipal planning.

Conservation and protection of nature are primarily governed by the Nature Conservation Act, which emphasizes the safeguarding of natural habitats, species, and ecosystems, along with promoting the sustainable use of natural resources. In addition to this overarching law, Iceland has adopted several sector-specific regulations that contribute to the management and protection of the environment. Specific provisions also exist for e.g., wetland protection and restoration, land restoration and forestry, agriculture, marine resource management, and sustainable tourism, integrating nature protection and climate resilience into the Iceland’s broader planning frameworks.

In the government’s updated National Planning Strategy, for the years 2024-2038, three planning goals are set out, all of which are based on sustainable development: A. Objectives for the protection of the environment and nature, B. Objectives for the prosperity of society, and C. Objectives for a competitive economy. Under each objective, priorities are presented together with recommendations for their implementation for planning in the central highlands, in rural areas, in urban areas and in ocean and coastal areas. Municipalities are then responsible for enforcing these objectives through their zoning plans.

Iceland’s National Policy on Land Restoration and Forestry places an emphasis on the protection, maintenance and integrity of ecosystems, which should be based on an ecosystem approach. It emphasizes the promotion of NBS for climate change mitigation and adaptation, the promotion of sustainable land use, and strengthening cooperation, knowledge building and public health. It promotes the sustainable development of communities across Iceland.

The policy is supplemented by an Action Plan, where research on the impact of land restoration, forestry and wetland restoration on biodiversity, the creation of new quality criteria for the selection of land for forestry and the evaluation of carbon balances for emission accounting in climate matters, are among the defined measures. Direct actions mainly concern the restoration of ecosystems on disturbed land, the restoration of wetlands, the restoration of natural forests and forestry. The use of NBS is encouraged to reduce the impact of natural hazards in the planning work of municipalities.

Iceland’s Regulation on Sustainable Land Use aims to ensure sustainable land use in accordance with the objectives of the Land Restoration Act. The regulation is a guide on how best to manage land to minimize the loss of valuable soil and to restore as much as possible of the ecosystems that have already been lost.

Iceland’s Agricultural Policy aims to promote and support Icelandic agriculture and strengthen its pillars for the future with sustainable development as a guide. The policy promotes ecosystem approaches, increasing food security, restoration, promoting biodiversity and the circular economy, amongst other things.

Iceland’s Food Policy serves as a guideline for food production in Iceland. The policy addresses food security, promoting the circular economy, protecting ecosystems in the sea and on land, and the sustainable use of resources based on ecosystem conditions and function. The policy sets a future vision, where food production should be carbon neutral and carbon offsets based on NBS that are in line with international commitments.

Iceland’s first ever Strategy for Climate Change Adaptation, emphasises that adaptation measures should protect ecosystems and work towards their diversity, and an emphasis should be placed on NBS, such as green infrastructure, when adaptation measures are formulated.

Alþingi. (2024a). Þingsályktun um landsskipulagsstefnu fyrir árin 2024–2038 ásamt fimm ára aðgerðaáætlun fyrir árin 2024–2028. 16. maí 2024. https://www.althingi.is/altext/154/s/1724.html

Stjórnarráð Íslands. (2022). Land og líf. Landgræðsluáætlun og landsáætlun í skógrækt. Aðgerðaáætlun í landgræðslu og skógrækt 2022-2026. https://www.stjornarradid.is/library/01--Frettatengt---myndir-og-skrar/MAR/Fylgiskjol/Landoglif_Adgerdaaaetlun2026%20-%20Copy%20(1).pdf

Umhverfisstofnun. (n.d.). Náttúruvernd. https://ust.is/umhverfisstofnun/log-og-reglur/reglugerdir/natturuvernd/

Umhverfis- og auðlindaráðuneytið. (2021b). Í ljósi loftslagsvár - Stefna um aðlögun að loftslagsbreytingum. https://www.stjornarradid.is/library/02-Rit--skyrslur-og-skrar/%C3%8D%20lj%C3%B3si%20loftslagsv%C3%A1r.pdf