Iceland final event: Online workshop with the Icelandic Association of Local Authorities on 26 August.

Eimur and the Icelandic Association of Local Authorities recently hosted an online workshop bringing together municipal representatives from all around Iceland to replicate and upscale RECET outcomes.

Participants were divided into four groups based on municipality size. The discussions focused on three key questions: Which climate and energy actions municipalities have prioritised up until now; What challenges they expect to face during implementation; and What steps are needed to move these actions forward?

The workshop highlighted that while

municipalities face different circumstances,

many share similar challenges related to

capacity, resources and implementation.

Participants were introduced to RECET

methodologies, the RECET action bank and the

creation process of Loforð, the climate and

energy action plan for Norðurland eystra, and

reflected on how these tool could be applied in

their local context.

The main challenges identified by participants

regarded financiation of actions. Municipal

budgets are strict and capital costs are typically still higher impacting obvious energy actions such as buying electric vehicles instead of typical gasoline vehicles. This often seems to be the fact despite them being more economic over the lifetime. This situation also stems from the fact that longer term investments are made without the context of longer term energy and climate commitments.

The workshop was a part of a continual support which the IALA provides to the municipalities in Iceland in matters regarding environment and climate, allowing them to exchange experiences, learn from one another and strengthen their efforts to advance local climate action.