According to an expert at the Icelandic Environment and Energy Agency (Umhverfis- og orkustofnun), as reported by RÚV and Vísir, Iceland’s total greenhouse gas emissions remain considerably higher than those in other European countries. The country is often praised as a climate leader for its clean electricity and building heating, but official sources say much work remains to cut emissions overall. Vísir was among the first outlets to report the story.
Vísir reports that Iceland’s reputation as a climate leader comes from the fact that nearly no greenhouse gases are emitted when generating electricity or heating buildings. According to Vísir, only about 40 kilograms of carbon dioxide are released per person per year for these purposes, a figure far below the roughly 1,400 kilograms per person recorded in some other countries. However, both RÚV and Vísir note that Iceland’s total emissions, covering most other sectors, are higher than the European average.
An expert at the Icelandic Environment and Energy Agency told RÚV that Iceland needs to significantly reduce its use of oil, emphasising that this is not only an environmental issue, but also a security matter. The expert added that there is still considerable work to do to bring Iceland’s greenhouse gas emissions down to European levels.
Sources
- Vísir (first reported) in Icelandic
- RÚV in Icelandic
Image: Hansueli Krapf / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 3.0) · licence, original (resized) Illustrative image.
