Once again, a Justin Bieber music video shot in Iceland has drawn criticism for its apparent disregard for the fragile ecosystem of the country.
The music video in question, performed by Bieber along with Major Lazer and MØ, features dancers doing their thing in the moss fields in Eldhraun. This is decidedly not in keeping with Iceland’s environmental policies – moss takes years or even decades to grow, and the slightest damage can take just as long to repair itself, due in large part to the very short growing season in Iceland.
“This is probably the worst treatment you could imagine for the moss, to jump up and down on it,” Snorri Baldursson, the director of the Icelandic Environment Association, told Vísir. “A moss heath such as the kind that grows in Eldhraun is one of the most delicate ecosystems in the country. It can tolerate almost no footsteps. A single footprint retains its shape for a whole summer. When such moss has been hopped up and down on, the top layer is destroyed, and it has a difficult time recovering from the damage.”
This is not the first time Bieber has drawn criticism for the treatment of the Icelandic environment in a music video. As reported last year, the video for his song I’ll Show You also drew fire for its depiction of activities that can damage the country’s fragile ecosystems.
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