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The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) represent a bridging point between the old, neoclassical, growth-based model of the economy and newer, emerging paradigms, such as the well-being economy. The importance of growth in Gross Domestic Product (GDP) is recognized within the SDGs, however, in addition, Target 19 of Goal 17 advocates the adoption of alternative measures of economic well-being. The Genuine Progress Indicator (GPI) has been found to be the indicator of alternative economic well-being most aligned with the SDGs. On the basis that increased, high-quality energy use leads to expanded macro-economic activity, as measured by GDP, this study conducts a conceptual exploration of the extent to which the pursuit of sustainable energy development (SED) can enhance GPI outcomes. Based on a recent Icelandic GPI study, a total of 46 SED themes were found to be linkable to 16 of its 39 sub-indicators, including 8 cost deductions and 7 benefit additions. The frequency of these was as follows: sustainable energy production (10), sustainable energy consumption (10), energy security (8), nature conservation (8), social benefits (7) and economically efficient energy system (3). The main implication of the study outcomes is that the pursuit of SED is likely to have considerable benefits in terms of fulfilling energy and climate policy, but also co-benefits with regard to the promulgation of economic and societal well-being, as reflected in the GPI. These outcomes, although applicable to Iceland, have ramifications for all nations who are simultaneously striving for greater economic prosperity, whilst tackling climate change and striving to deliver equitable, environmentally sound and resilient energy systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Battery-electric heavy-duty vehicles are considered a potential solution to reduce emissions in freight transport and increase energy security. However, battery-electric trucks are not a one-fits-all solution due to current battery technology limitations and vast diversity in freight operations and vehicle categories. Although the literature available in electric truck feasibility provides an insightful overview of their potential, it does not fully cover the performance variations under adverse climate and technical conditions. This paper attempts to fill the gap in the literature by quantifying the impact of low temperatures, headwind, variable payload, and tail-lift use over different freight vehicles from a case study fleet in Iceland. NREL's FASTSim is the vehicle energy consumption model used for the analysis. The study also addresses on-route fast-charging, considering realistic non-linear charging rates and performance in low temperatures. The results showed that the range of the analyzed vehicles can experience a decrease of 41–47% under unfavorable conditions, compared to the estimated range under ideal conditions. Short-haul routes could be electrified even under the most challenging conditions, while regional routes might require some planification adjustments to reach 100% route electrification in tough conditions. On-route charging would be necessary to achieve full fleet electrification. In tough conditions, sprinter vans met 49% (85% with charging) of the analyzed routes, while trucks met 83% (90% with charging). The outcomes of this research support several UN Sustainable Development Goals (3, 7, 8, 11, 12, 13), and could be used to develop specific measures within the Icelandic 2020 Climate Action Plan. The methodology used is feasibly replicable for teams who wish to perform a similar analysis in different contexts. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The decision-making and policy formation context in Iceland has been largely devoid of total economic valuations in cost-benefit assessments. Using an internet survey and applying the double bounded dichotomous choice methodology, this contingent valuation study sets out an estimate of the total economic value pertaining to Heiðmörk, a popular recreational area of urban open space located on the fringes of Reykjavík, Garðabær and Kópavogur. In so doing, this case study advances the practice of using non-market valuation techniques in the country. The welfare estimates provide evidence that Icelanders consider Heiðmörk to possess considerable total economic value, with taxpayers willing to pay a mean lump-sum tax in the range 17,039 to 24,790 ISK per payment to secure its preservation, equating to an estimated total economic value of between 5.87 and 35.47 billion ISK. In the light of possible competitive land management demands among Heiðmörk's three owners and many recreational users in the future, the establishment of these values and their potential use in cost-benefit assessments informs the debate concerning whether the area should be preserved or further developed to satisfy economic objectives. Additionally, a body of experimental evidence is formed suggesting that the increased duration of a fixed payment vehicle is associated with much higher total economic valuations compared to a one-year payment period. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The literature available on alternative fuel heavy-duty trucks often focuses on greenhouse gas emissions and total cost of ownership assessments, drawing an insightful but incomplete picture of the best solutions for each context. Using Iceland as case study, this paper attempts to provide a broader perspective by including energy security, technical feasibility and air pollutant emissions in the assessment. AFLEET and GREET are used to calculate the life cycle emissions and the total cost of ownership of 10 heavy-duty powertrains using representative vehicle categories in Iceland: regional and delivery trucks. The technical feasibility of battery-electric and hydrogen trucks is addressed in terms of battery/tank required capacity for representative fuel efficiency values, while the resources available in Iceland are used to determine the local fuel production capacity and the potential impact of each alternative fuel pathway on energy security. The results suggest that battery-electric trucks present the highest environmental and economic benefits, although the limited range of current battery technology implies a high penetration only in delivery trucks. Hydrogen and compressed natural gas pathways present attractive results for regional trucks, although their implementation is limited due to high life cycle costs and insufficient feedstock capacity. Renewable diesel stands out as a potential solution to fill the gap for regional trucks as it presents overall satisfactory results throughout all dimensions addressed. The results suggest that a 100% alternative fuel heavy-duty fleet energy demand could be met using local resources in Iceland. [Display omitted] • The transition towards alternative fuel heavy duty vehicles in Iceland is studied. • Nine alternative fuel heavy duty powertrains are assessed in LCA and TCO terms. • The link between alternative fuel production and energy security is discussed. • BEV stands out as the most attractive pathway for both vehicle categories. • Iceland could meet 100% of HDV energy demand using domestically produced fuels. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Target 19 of the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goal 17 calls for the use of alternative measures of economic welfare in addition to Gross Domestic Product (GDP). The Genuine Progress Indicator (GPI) is an example of such a measure, including various non-market benefits and environmental and social costs unaccounted for in GDP. This study presents the results from the first estimate of the GPI for Iceland over the period 2000–2019. Iceland represents an interesting case study given its remoteness, environmental vulnerability, natural resource dependency, and fluctuating economic performance in recent years, which has featured a banking collapse and tourism-fuelled resurgence. The study finds that Iceland's GPI was equal to between 2.41 and 3.05 times the value of national GDP. Statistics for both GDP and the GPI peaked in 2019 at 2,970,076 (USD M 24,237) and 7,163,300 million ISK (USD M 58,443), respectively. Mean annual rates of per capita expansion for both GDP and the GPI were 2.1% and 0.6%, respectively. Despite the scale of the Icelandic GPI, the study also revealed non-negligible values for environmental and social costs which, in aggregate, were equal to between 17.8% and 25.4% of the value of consumption. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Decreasing the yield stress of bentonite facilitated chalcopyrite flotation. • K+ was superior to Na+ in reducing the yield stress but with a lower flotation result. • The discrepancy was related with the modification of bentonite morphology. • The modification was owing to the interaction between K+ and bentonite. Waste management in Iceland has developed considerably in recent years. Before 1990, most of the waste was either burnt in open pits or landfilled. In the past, information about waste management in Iceland used to be almost exclusively published in reports and was primarily based on rough estimates. Currently, incinerators and landfilling sites are highly regulated and follow EU legislation. Additionally, reporting has gradually improved and is approaching EU standards, although improvement is still needed. In an international context, Iceland is far behind the other Nordic countries as well as the EU-27 countries in reducing landfill rates and enhancing energy recovery and recycling rates. According to the EU landfill directive, the total amount of municipal solid waste (MSW) landfilled must be below 10% by 2035; however, it is currently over 60%. Other targets are similarly far off, and it is unlikely that Iceland will meet those in time without immediate and significant changes in waste management. This article aims to evaluate MSW management in Iceland at the national and regional levels, its compliance with the EU's targets for waste management and the associated costs inflicted on municipalities. Hence, annual accounts data were used when comparing regions and municipalities. It was found that there are significant differences in per capita waste management expenditure between municipalities with less than 1,000 inhabitants (€379) and ones with more than 10,000 inhabitants (€106). Without changes in proposed future waste management strategies, this gap will inevitably increase in the upcoming years. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Over the last three years, national indicator sets and international coalitions for advancement of the well-being economy's ambitions have begun to be developed. This study applies a capital asset, well-being goals and domains, and Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) framework to evaluate the scope and comprehensiveness of the indicator sets of Iceland, Scotland and New Zealand. Both national objectives and SDG indicator priorities, determined through each nation's stakeholder consultation process, have greatly shaped the indicator selection process, albeit leading to a narrow concentration in some areas. There is currently more focus on natural capital preservation and environmental performance in the cases of Iceland and New Zealand, whereas Scotland integrates analysis on contributions to human well-being via ecosystem services. Additionally, resources that appear critical to these economies and processes that undermine the productive capacities of the resource base are not represented by indicators. Spatial scale variations are evident too. Domestic phenomena are the focus of Iceland and New Zealand's indicators sets, whilst Scotland's is more internationalist. Despite these inconsistencies, it is evident that the national indicator sets are inclusive and reflective of socio-cultural priorities, including the needs of certain Indigenous peoples, often monitoring criteria that go beyond the limits of the SDGs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The social-ecological change in the Arctic is accelerated by the multifaceted effects of climate change and globalization. Among other things, this means changing human-ecosystem dynamics through altered availability, co-production, and governance of ecosystem services (ES). A group of species illustrative of this change are whales, migratory species that have played an important part in the culture and subsistence of Arctic communities for millennia. This study explores the changing human-nature interactions and whale ES governance by combining ES and interactive governance theories. A multi-method approach is applied to assess qualitatively the qualitative governability of whale ES in three Arctic coastal locations: Húsavík in Iceland, Andenes in Norway, and Disko Bay in Greenland. Based on a literature review, stakeholder mapping, observations, and analysis of 54 semi-structured stakeholder interviews, the study finds that whale ES governance involves multiple actors with differing preferences and values and that much of it happens outside of formal institutions, necessitating inclusive approaches to improve it. The study reveals some whale ES governance deficiencies and potentials, such as a mismatch between governance scales and a need for more formal governance practices based on scientific research and stakeholder inputs. Governance frameworks were present for provisioning whale ES related to whaling, but they were lacking for non-consumptive whale ES, such as whale watching. Addressing these issues can help to direct marine resource management toward sustainability by making it more inclusive, adaptive, and reflective of stakeholder needs and values. This goal could be advanced by applying the governance principles that view humans as an integral part of social-ecological systems, e.g., ecosystem stewardship and ecosystem-based management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study examines the socio-cultural values of multiple ecosystem services (ES) sourced from whales in Skjálfandi Bay, North Iceland, with many beneficiaries living in and visiting the town of Húsavík. The study begins to address the research gap in non-monetary valuation of marine ecosystem services. Based on a multi-method approach, it elicits stakeholders' perceptions of the contribution of whale ES to human wellbeing using stakeholder mapping, semi-structured interviews, observations, and socio-cultural preference surveys. The key whale ES identified by the local stakeholders were cultural, most frequently mentioned being recreation and education. The most commonly mentioned ES values were related to economic benefits from the whale watching industry. The preference survey reveals that regulating and maintenance ES were valued most highly with a mean score of 4.0 out of 5.0, cultural ES were second with a mean score of 3.5, and provisioning ES in the form of food and raw materials were valued the least with a mean of 0.75. Interview data also reveals some marine ES management challenges originating from intensified tourism, industrial development, and climate change. The results of the study have the potential to inform marine resource management in Iceland by including socio-cultural values associated with whale resources. • The paper examines socio-cultural values of whale ES in Skjálfandi Bay, Iceland. • A multi-method approach is used to identify and assess ten key ES and their values. • The most highly valued ES group is regulating and maintenance, followed by cultural, and provisioning. • The key management challenges relate to identifying and accounting for trade-offs and synergies between different marine ES. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]