Reykjavík Aiming To Be Carbon Neutral By 2040

Iceland’s capital has established a formal plan to be completely carbon neutral by 2040.

Reykjavík carbon footprint is fairly low as it is. All electricity in the city is derived from hydropower, and heating is provided by geothermally-heated water. However, there is always room for improvement, and one culprit stands above the others when it comes to greenhouse gas emissions: transportation.

According to the city’s plan, they hope to increase the number of people using public transport from 4% to 12%, and to increase the percentage of cyclists and pedestrians from 19% to over 30%, by 2030 – amongst other goals – to make the city completely carbon neutral by 2040.

“Reykjavík‘s goal is to increase the use of bicycles and buses as primary means of transport and to ensure that people have the chance of commuting to work on foot,” the announcement reads in part. “With electric cars becoming more common Reykjavík will increase the availability of charging stations – preferably at home, in parking garages and on specific locations within the city. These goals are intrinsically linked to urban densification which also produces opportunities for a more efficient public transport system through the use of either light railways or a bus rapid transit system.”

For more on this matter, you can check out the outline of the plan on the city’s homepage, or read the plan in its entirety at your leisure.