For the Future of Water - Implementation of River Basin Management Plan in Iceland

Introduction

Iceland is implementing its first River Basin Management Plan (RBMP) whereas most European countries are developing plans for the fourth RBMP cycle. Iceland is therefore aiming to accelerate the implementation to align with the rest of Europe.

Constraints to Implementation

Three overarching constraints to implementation have been identified:

1. Iceland has a very small population, a large land area, and fragmented administration, both local and governmental, which are lacking in capacity.
2. The current RBMP in Iceland has significant gaps due to lack of data, expertise, and information.
3. Communication and cooperation are fragmented across the board.

Project Objectives

To address these barriers, LIFE ICEWATER aims to enhance the implementation of the existing plan before 2028 and create a legacy by providing direct input into, and development of, the second RBMP (2028-2033).

Focus Areas

The project focuses on:

• Increased cooperation and mobilization of human and financial resources.
• Increasing capacity and knowledge through dissemination and communication of information both nationally and internationally.
• Removing administrative and legislative barriers for implementation.

Demonstration Activities

A number of demonstration activities have been developed to create exemplar restoration projects to reduce pressure on water in Iceland, which can be replicated elsewhere. The project encompasses cross-sectorial knowledge exchange, complemented by international and national networking.

Scope and Consortium

The scope of LIFE ICEWATER covers the whole of Iceland and involves various governmental bodies, the research community, municipalities, the public, industry, and other stakeholders.

The consortium consists of 21 beneficiaries and 2 affiliated partners who, collectively, will bring the necessary expertise to implement the RBMP, once the constraints highlighted in this proposal have been addressed by the project.