Reykjavík Grapevine - 05.04.2013, Síða 20

20The Reykjavík Grapevine Issue 4 — 2013
Ban Thai is the finest Thai restaurant in Iceland
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BanThai
2009, 2010, 2011 and 2012the best thai food
TopTen The Best Restaurant in Iceland Step into
the Viking Age
Experience Viking-Age Reykja­vík a­t the
new Settlement Exhibition. The focus of the
exhibition is a­n exca­va­ted longhouse site which
da­tes from the 10th century ad. It includes
relics of huma­n ha­bita­tion from a­bout 871, the
oldest such site found in Icela­nd.

Multimedia­ techniques bring Reykja­vík’s
pa­st to life, providing visitors with insights
into how people lived in the Viking Age, a­nd
wha­t the Reykja­vík environment looked like
to the first settlers.
The exhibition a­nd
museum shop a­re open
da­ily 10–17
Aða­lstræti 16
101 Reykja­vík / Icela­nd
Phone +(354) 411 6370
www.reykja­vikmuseum.is
Iceland is a country of abun-
dance, at least in relative “per
capita” terms—the most popular
measuring stick for any small
state. It has enough hydro and
geothermal power to make us the
world’s biggest producer of elec-
tricity (per capita) and it covers
enough area to make it Europe’s
most sparsely populated country
(per capita). But Iceland is also
abundant—in absolute terms—in
a number of things, albeit things
you might find more difficult to
quantify.
One of Iceland’s greatest as-
sets is its nature. It’s an endless
source of inspiration, spiritual
refreshment, a place to be filled
with a sense of awe for Mother
Earth. Far too often, Iceland’s
nature has been seen as a means
to an end, a tool to serve GDP-
growth. The geologist Sigurður
Þórarinsson once pointed out that
too often we measure the value
of waterfalls in kilowatt hours,
when we should bear in mind
that they also hold a potential on
which we cannot place monetary
value, that of hours of pleasure.
For the past decade and a half,
Icelandic experts have attempted
to strike a balance between
nature’s value for the energy-
industrial-complex on one hand,
and its value for other forms of
use on the other. With tourism
booming during the same period,
these “other forms of use” have
become increasingly apparent
as a major source of traditional
wealth as well as Sigurður’s
“hours of pleasure.” This led to
parliament passing Rammaáæt-
lun (“Master Plan for Hydro and
Geothermal Energy Resources”)
this January, a plan for proposed
power projects, based on the best
available scientific research and
information, taking into account
both their economic implications
and their environmental conse-
quences. This is a big step toward
ensuring that the further exploi-
tation of our energy resources is
carried out in accordance with
the principles of sustainable de-
velopment, but at the same time
it’s regretful that such a plan
wasn’t in place decades ago.
Some of the biggest scars on
the face of Iceland have been in-
flicted in the interest of power-in-
tensive industries. A few of them
may have been justified, but all
in all, they are too many and too
big. Over the past few months,
increasing evidence has shown
how the Kárahnjúkar dam in East
Iceland has severely impacted the
ecosystem of Lagarfljót. What
was once a clear blue river is now
a murky glacial river due to the
sediment running off the dam.
Environmentalists warned of the
consequences of the project, but
their words of warning fell on
deaf ears.
It is necessary for public au-
thorities to have a sound under-
standing of the common good,
encompassing implications for
the economy, society and the
environment. This is a big task,
and an important one. We must
be cautious when making big
decisions with wide-ranging
consequences. In the north of
Iceland, plans for a geothermal
power plant at Bjarnarflag might
put Lake Mývatn at risk. Midway
between Iceland and Jan Mayen
Island, ideas of oil exploration
might put the ecosystem of the
Arctic Ocean at risk. We must al-
ways proceed with caution when
the stakes are this high.
Iceland’s unique nature is
fragile and it is our duty to take
good care of it. Fortunately, na-
ture conservation has gained
ground over the past few years, at
the same time as tourism has be-
come a major component of the
economy. Nature conservation is
the foundation of tourism; nature
must be respected and protected
to maintain its appeal. It is im-
portant to learn from our expe-
riences and improve the way we
interact with nature—for nature’s
own sake, for the sake of its eco-
systems and for the sake of future
generations.
Svandís Svavarsdóttir is a Left
Green MP and Minister for
the Environment and Natural
Resources.
Proceeding
With Caution
For Nature’s Sake
Guðmundur Steingrímsson
Pro
Pro-Euro
www.bjortframtid.is
Björt framtíð (xA)
(“Bright Future”)
Who they say they are in one sentence:
Björt framtíð wants to change politics and introduce a more
constructive, solution-aimed and consensus-driven way of
doing politics under a liberal and a green umbrella.
3. We have made some connections with liberal parties in
Europe through the ALDE group [Alliance of Liberals and
Democrats for Europe] at the European Parliament. Radikale
Venstre in Denmark are for instance a member of that group
and so are the Lib Dems in the UK. We are a similar liberal
party with a twist.
7. We need to join the EU and given that the agreement is
good, take up the Euro, increase the value of our exports
(which a stable currency, among other things, will help us in
doing) with more industrial variety and increased efficiency
of labour and money generally. We should not sell our green
power cheap.
12. We have witnessed and experienced a manifold crash in
trust. That needs to be fixed.
15. A new constitution was being called for long before the
financial crisis happened. We want a new constitution based
on the current draft. But we need to do this as well as we
can. Just a bit more work needs to be done, and then we can
finish it. We would like a binding national referendum to be
the final conclusion of this fine procedure.
Party Chair:
EU:
Currency:
Website:
Þorvaldur Þorvaldsson
Anti
Pro-Króna
www.althydufylkingin.blogspot.com
Jón Bjarnason
Anti
Pro-Króna
www.regnboginn.is
Alþýðufylkingin (xR)
(“The People’s Front of Iceland”)
Regnboginn (xJ)
(“The Rainbow”)
Who they say they are in one sentence: We want sociali-
sation in the country’s infrastructure, not the least in the
financial sector, making it a public good run not for private
profit, but for the benefit of society.
10. At the moment, and in the foreseeable future, the alter-
native to capital controls would be economic ruin—and we
have plenty of that already. So, no, we would not work to
lift them. Also, in general we oppose foreign investment, as
we see it as sucking value out of the economy.
17. People should be welcomed as people and not as mere
labour power. The state should ensure that all immigrants
learn enough Icelandic to be able to read contracts, under-
stand public safety warnings etc., so that they can access
the information they need to enjoy their rights and be safe.
Also, refugees should be treated with the same dignity as
other people.
18. Well, not really; membership in our party is not condi-
tioned by views on church and state, but I think most of us
are for total separation of the two entities.
Who they say they are in one sentence: We are united
under a vision for an independent and sovereign Iceland
outside of the European Union, a society driven by sustain-
ability in which everyone has equal rights to prosper and
where Icelandic nature is allowed to flourish for future
generations.
2. This is a movement of people who wish to prevent
further negotiations with the European Union. We also
share other values in terms of welfare, equal opportunities
throughout the country, human rights and nature conserva-
tion. Our history as a joint movement is short, in fact, we
consider this a project aimed solely at the upcoming elec-
tions to address the most pending issue in Icelandic soci-
ety today: the imminent merging with the European Union.
It is an issue that touches upon every sector of our society
and cannot be silenced or ignored. People have the right to
know exactly what sacrifices and irretrievable changes will
follow should negotiations with the EU continue.
8. Iceland is blessed with abundant natural resources,
highly educated and hardworking people and a rich culture.
Prosperity does not arise with only one person or political
party, but by encouraging our strengths as a society.
11. Even though an alternative currency could bring some
benefits to companies doing business abroad, I believe the
long-term consequences would be far too grave for Ice-
landic society. The króna may be weak at the moment, but
independent monetary control has enabled us to work our
way through the crisis. It should be obvious to anyone that
countries that do not possess the same degree of flexibility
as we do, such as Spain, Greece and Cypress, are facing
a situation considerably more difficult than ours. So the
answer is yes, I do indeed believe in the Icelandic króna.
Party Chair:
EU:
Currency:
Website:
Party Chair:
EU:
Currency:
Website:
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