Reykjavík awarded the Nordic Council Nature and Environment Prize 2014

The city of Reykjavík was awarded the Nordic Council Nature and Environment Prize 2014. 

According to the jury, 
"The prize goes to the City of Reykjavik in recognition of its wide-ranging and determined commitment to the environment. Although it shared this commitment with several of the other nominees, Reykjavik also implemented a range of initiatives that are both specific to the city and which serve as an inspiration to others." 

The jury considers Reykjavik to have achieved positive results in several spheres. The city’s population and geographical location may well have played a role but many of the most important results are down to impressive and deliberate hard work. 

Over the years, the city has developed an environmentally friendly way of using its drinking water and of generating district heating and electricity from geothermal energy. Reykjavik also makes ‘green’ use of urban spaces not currently occupied or due to become vacant soon, and this stops them ending up as parking lots. Although Reykjavik is a small city, 87% of the council’s vehicles run on electricity or gas. We know of no other council with a fleet of vehicles anywhere nearly as environmentally friendly. 

"The council has for a long time worked with others on tight control and protection of drinking water areas. Reykjavik is the only capital city in the Nordic Region to provide every household with untreated yet pure drinking water of exceptional quality. 

The City of Reykjavik's wide-ranging and long-term commitment to the environment and its conscious work on the environmentally friendly use of water and production of district heating and electricity from geothermal energy make it a worthy winner of the Nordic Council Nature and Environment Prize 2014.” 

According to the committee Reykjavík has developed an “environmentally friendly way of using its drinking water and of generating district heating and electricity from geothermal energy”. Additionally around 87 % of the city council’s vehicles run on electricity or gas. 

Next year the award will go to a company, organization or individual that has developed an exemplary product that will help reduce climate-gas emissions. 

Image courtesy of the Nordic Council