Search Results (28)

This study analyses the economic impact of tourism in Iceland, focusing on its contributions to GDP, employment, and foreign currency earnings. This study employs descriptive and comparative secondary data analysis based on available statistics and an extensive literature review to assess the sector’s development, resilience, and sustainability within global and national contexts. The findings confirm that tourism is a key pillar of Iceland’s economy, surpassing traditional export industries in value and generating significant employment opportunities. However, the sector’s volatility exposed during the COVID-19 pandemic and its dependence on international markets reveal structural vulnerabilities that threaten a sustainable future. Beyond economic considerations, this study critically engages with the growing pressures of over-tourism, seasonality, and environmental degradation, particularly in ecologically sensitive areas. Recent scholarship and policy shifts emphasise the need for sustainability indicators, equitable taxation mechanisms, and participatory governance to guide Iceland’s tourism development. This research highlights that balancing economic growth with environmental limits and community well-being is essential for building a more resilient and future-proof tourism model. These insights help inform policymakers, stakeholders, and researchers in aligning tourism strategies with sustainability and diversification goals. Full article

Background: PC has become a significant global health challenge, with incidence and mortality rates rising over the past three decades. While traditionally associated with aging, recent data indicate an increasing burden among younger populations. This study aims to analyze global trends in PC incidence and mortality and to identify key contributing factors, particularly modifiable risk factors such as obesity, diabetes, and smoking. Methods: Using data from the Global Burden of Disease Study (GBD) 2021, population-based cancer registries globally and nationally, systematic reviews and analysis trends in PC incidence, mortality and survival were analyzed. To assess epidemiological shifts, we utilized previously published annual percentage change (AAPC) values stratified by region, age group, and sex, as reported in the cited literature. Additionally, the influence of modifiable risk factors was evaluated to determine their contribution to rising incidence rates. Results: Between 1990 and 2021, the global incidence of PC increased by 8.9%, from 5.47 to 5.96 per 100,000, with the highest rates observed in high-Sociodemographic-Index (SDI) regions (10.00 per 100,000) and the lowest in low-SDI regions (1.59 per 100,000). Significant increases in incidence were noted in several countries, particularly among men in Iceland (AAPC 8.85) and women in Malta (AAPC 6.04). Early-onset PC is becoming more prevalent, especially among younger women. Modifiable risk factors, including obesity, diabetes, and smoking, play a critical role, with excess body weight contributing to 17.9% of PC cases and smoking to 13.9% in the United States (U.S.). Conclusions: The rising burden of PC, particularly among younger populations, highlights the need for targeted prevention strategies, early detection efforts, and further research into the underlying mechanisms driving these trends. Addressing modifiable risk factors could be key to mitigating the increasing incidence of this highly lethal cancer. Full article

Basalt with columnar jointing can act as a good groundwater conductor. In areas with limited water resources in sedimentary rock, such as the Deccan Traps in India and the Columbia River basalt formations in Washington State (USA), large quantities of groundwater are abstracted from such basalt formations for drinking water supply and irrigation. The hydraulic properties of basaltic formations are difficult to quantify. To obtain a better understanding of their hydraulic properties, intensive field campaigns in Iceland were combined with a conceptual groundwater model in MODFLOW. The field experiments enabled us to derive the upper boundary conditions, like precipitation surplus, and obtain reliable ranges for the k_h (0.01–0.3 m d⁻¹) and k_v (0.01–10 m d⁻¹) of the basalt formations. The main objective was to test the concept of representative elementary volumes (REVs) for such basaltic regions. Precipitation excess for the Vestragil and Eystragil catchments was calculated by taking into account the orographic effect of precipitation. It was found that at higher elevations (600 m + msl) the precipitation was twice the amount compared to the base camp rain gauge at 100 m + msl. Calculated evapotranspiration (1–2 mm d⁻¹) is in line with the literature. In the MODFLOW model, best results were obtained when the top layer (organic soil, peat, and regolith) was considered to be most conductive (up to 10 m d⁻¹), with a gradual reduction in hydraulic conductivity with depth in the basaltic aquifers. This study shows that, when larger elementary volumes are used, a good model representation of basaltic regions can be created. Full article

This study examines municipalities’ challenges in digital transformation, focusing on an Icelandic municipality. It aims to determine whether these challenges align with those reported in academic literature, particularly in public service delivery and the sustainability of digital initiatives from an operational perspective. A mixed-methods approach, including interviews with municipal employees and a survey, was used to analyze the municipality’s experiences. An evaluation framework introduced by Lafioune et al. guided the analysis. Key findings highlight the importance of senior management support, adequate funding, staff collaboration, and effective data management for making successful and digital transformation sustainable in the long run. Resistance to change, especially among staff, emerged as a significant obstacle to long-term sustainability. The study reveals that the challenges Icelandic municipalities face are consistent with broader research on digital transformation in public administration. The research emphasizes the need for a comprehensive approach integrating technological, organizational, and cultural changes to ensure a sustainable result from these initiatives. It also underscores the potential of digitalization to enhance public service accessibility and efficiency, promoting social cohesion, equity, and long-term sustainability. Practical recommendations include fostering strong leadership, securing strategic funding, and promoting a collaborative culture to ensure the success of digital initiatives in public services. Full article

Along the Arctic and sub-Arctic coasts of Alaska, Siberia, north-eastern China, Hokkaido, Scandinavia and Iceland, people have dressed in clothes or worn shoes made of fish skin for millennia. (Within this article, the terms fish skin and fish leather are used to indicate different processes of the same material. Fish skin: Skin indicates the superficial dermis of an animal. Fish skin is referred to as the historical raw material that is tanned following traditional methods such as mechanical, oiling and smoking tanning, using materials such as bark, brain, urine, fish eggs and corn flour. Fish leather is used to refer that the fish skin has passed one or more stages of industrial vegetable or chrome tanning production and is ready to be used to produce leather goods). These items are often decorated with a rich colour palette of natural dyes provided by nature. In this study, minerals and raw materials of plant origin were collected from riverbanks and processed by Arctic seamstresses who operated as designers, biochemists, zoologists, and climatologists simultaneously. During our research, an international team of fashion, tanning and education specialists used local Arctic and sub-Arctic flora from Sweden, Iceland, and Japan to dye fish leather. Several plants were gathered and sampled on a small scale to test the process and determine the colours they generated based on the historical literature and verbal advice from local experts. This paper describes the process and illustrates the historical use of natural dyes by the Arctic groups originally involved in this craft, building on the traditional cultural heritage that has enabled us to develop sustainable dyeing processes. The results are promising and confirm the applicability of these local plants for dyeing fish skins, providing a basis for a range of natural dye colours from local Arctic flora. The aim is to develop a moderate-sized industrial production of fish leather in this colour palette to replace current unsustainable chemical dyeing processes. This project represents an innovation in material design driven by traditional technologies, addressing changes in interactions between humans and with our environment. The results indicate that new materials, processes, and techniques are often the fruitful marriage of fashion and historical research of traditional methods, helping the industry move towards a more sustainable future. Full article

It is expected that the number of elected female mayors in local government will increase globally, yet no major progress has been registered lately despite the increased focus on the topic. At the European level, no country exceeds 40% female mayors or other leaders of the municipal council (or equivalent), with the highest descriptive representation of 39.1% in Iceland. Following the 2020 elections in Romania, only around 5% of mayors were female with a strong over-representation of male mayors. The current study aims to analyze the male–female distribution of mayors, the degree of re-election, the relationship between the number of candidates and re-election of incumbents, and how these factors impact female political representation at the local level in Romania. Thus, we argue that a high degree of re-election of incumbents may be a barrier to women’s access to the position of mayor. In addition, it is important to determine whether female incumbents are as successful as their male counterparts in being re-elected. While there is an extensive body of literature on incumbency that covers a range of topics, there is a gap in the literature regarding the proposed subject. The present research aims to fill the gap and contribute to a better understanding of the political representation of women in Eastern Europe. We utilized a dataset of Romanian elections from 2008 to 2020 to test our hypotheses. Our findings indicate that during the studied period, more than 95% of mayors were male, the re-election was a frequent occurrence in Romania with a percentage ranging from 70.82% (2008–2012) to 72% (2012–2016 and 2016–2020), and female incumbents were just as likely to be re-elected as their male counterparts. Full article

This article focuses on the figures concerning experiences of and beliefs in possible contacts with the dead amongst Icelandic people that have come to light from three national surveys that were undertaken in 1974, 2006–2007, and 2023, focusing in particular on the most recent figures. It starts by reviewing the earliest evidence of such beliefs in Iceland (expressed in both Old Icelandic literature and Icelandic folk legends), which evidently laid down the foundations for modern-day beliefs. After listing the main findings of the surveys and noting the changes in belief that appear to have taken place over the last 50 years, the article offers some brief conclusions relating to what seems to have caused not only some obvious gender and age differences in belief and experience, but also differences in figures between urban and rural areas. Full article

With the urgent global need to limit warming to 2 °C as well as a localized need in our case study to address rising energy demand amid electrical and thermal network limitations, a critical examination of demand-side energy reductions and the concept of energy sufficiency is needed. This paper contributes to the sparse literature on bottom-up analysis by utilizing Iceland—a leader in renewable energy generation—as a case study to explore the socio-economic factors influencing energy footprints. Our findings reveal significant energy footprints across various consumption domains, particularly housing and mobility, influenced by income levels, urbanization, and lifestyle choices. The study highlights the paradox of a high renewable energy supply leading to potential misconceptions regarding abundant and low-cost energy, resulting in substantial energy consumption-related environmental impacts. Using detailed household consumption survey data, this research provides insights crucial for developing sustainable energy policies that not only target technological advancements but also address the need for a reduction in energy demand and a shift towards energy sufficiency. This work marks a contribution to the literature through the provision of a case study of low income inequality and high energy footprints in a highly renewable energy system context. Further, this work is useful for Icelandic and international policymakers to understand in such high-demand contexts which consumption domains would be most relevant for sufficiency policies. This comprehensive analysis opens pathways for future research to further explore the intersections of energy consumption, socio-economic factors, and well-being, offering a nuanced understanding necessary for crafting sufficiency and demand-side policies aimed at a sustainable energy future. Full article

Amid a changing global climate, Northern coastal communities face a variety of challenges to their livelihoods, which are dependent on marine resources. Marine spatial planning (MSP) provides opportunities for cooperation between authorities, stakeholders, and the public to ensure sustainable marine management. Public participation is a crucial element of coastal and marine planning for its long-term democratic legitimacy and sustainability. However, the process of MSP is often wrought with conflict and challenges of involving stakeholders and the public in decisions concerning an often-contested marine space. Whereas coastal zone planning (CZP) is well established in Norway and a reiteration of previous CZP was conducted 2020–23, MSP is new to Iceland, and has only recently been launched with its first pilot plans in 2019. This study investigates how participation in coastal and marine planning processes compare between Iceland and Norway and what lessons can be shared between them. Data were collected from two case studies in the Tromsø region in Norway and the Westfjords of Iceland through analysis of planning documentation, literature review, as well as participant observation in the Westfjords and 11 semi-structured interviews across both case studies. The results show that public participation is formally integral to both processes but, in practice, varies considerably. Both planning processes are driven by the expansion of the aquaculture industry, and a variety of issues faced during the planning process are similar. In Norway, public participation is politically desired and guided by a participation strategy emphasising synergies between expert and local knowledge. In the Tromsø region, meaningful public participation varied across municipalities and issues regarding Indigenous participation remain. In Iceland, there is little evident political expectation of public engagement, and the process is characterised by a passive approach to participation that aims to inform the public but does not include wider sharing of decision-making power. The findings do not only make clear that a revision of current public participation processes is needed in both case studies but also point towards wider issues in marine governance that have consequences for blue justice, such as the exclusion of groups in decision-making, lack of public discussion of marine issues and top–down governance supporting established power hierarchies. Full article

Background: Necrotizing fasciitis (NF) is a serious infectious disease that can initially place the patient’s life in danger and, after successful surgical and antibiotic treatment, leaves extensive wounds with sometimes even exposed bones and tendons. Autologous skin grafts are not always possible or require adequate wound bed preparation. Novel intact fish skin grafts (iFSGs; Kerecis^® Omega3 Wound, Kerecis hf, Isafjördur, Iceland) have already shown their potential to promote granulation in many other wound situations. Faster wound healing rates and better functional and cosmetic outcomes were observed due to their additionally postulated anti-inflammatory and analgesic properties. Therefore, iFSGs may also be essential in treating NF. We present our initial experience with iFSGs in treating leg wounds after NF and review the literature for the current spectrum of clinical use of iFSGs. Case Presentations: We present two male patients (aged 60 and 69 years) with chronic or acute postsurgical extensive leg ulcers six weeks and six days after necrotizing fasciitis, respectively. Both suffered from diabetes mellitus without vascular pathologies of the lower limbs. A single application of one pre-meshed (Kerecis^® Graftguide) and one self-meshed 300 cm² iFSG (Kerecis^® Surgiclose) was performed in our operation room after extensive surgical debridement and single circles of negative wound pressure therapy. Application and handling were easy. An excellent wound granulation was observed, even in uncovered tibia bone and tendons, accompanied by pain relief in both patients. Neither complications nor allergic reactions occurred. The patients received autologous skin grafting with excellent functional and cosmetic outcomes. Conclusions: iFSGs have the potential to play a significant role in the future treatment of NF due to the fast promotion of wound granulation and pain relief. Our experience may encourage surgeons to use iFSGs in NF patients, although high-quality, large-sized studies are still required to confirm these results. The observed effects of iFSGs on wounds associated with NF may be transferred to other wound etiologies as well. Full article

The monastic archives of Iceland have rarely been made the subject of specific studies. This article is intended to survey the history of one such archive, belonging to the Benedictine Abbey of Þingeyrar in Northern Iceland, which was founded 1133 and dissolved 1551. Through its extraordinarily rich literary production this monastery left an indelible mark on the Northern-European cultural heritage. After the Reformation Þingeyrar Cloister remained a state-owned and ecclesiastical institution until modern times. Its archive, which is partly preserved to this day, is both the most extensive of its kind to survive in Iceland and uniquely remained in place for almost eight centuries, making it possibly the longest operated archive in the Nordic countries. The Icelanders may be better known for their sagas and mythological poetry, but their industrious literacy certainly extended to creating bureaucratic documents in accordance with the Roman tradition. French Benedictines were among the first in the world to turn the art of archival management into an academic discipline, and the Icelandic Professor Árni Magnússon (d. 1730), who is best known for his great collection of Old Icelandic manuscripts, was the first Nordic scholar to employ their methods effectively, which he used to investigate the Archive of Þingeyrar. Surveying the history of this Icelandic archive gives us insight into a constitutive science fundamental for our access to the past. Full article

This paper shows that some commodity currencies (from Chile, Iceland, Norway, South Africa, Australia, Canada, and New Zealand) predict the synchronization of metals and energy commodities. This relationship links the present-value theory for exchange rates and its connection with commodity export economies’ fundamentals, where prospective commodity price fluctuations affect exchange rates. Predicting commodity market return synchronization is critical for dealing with systemic risk, market efficiency, and financial stability since synchronization reduces the benefits of diversification and increases the probability of contagion in financial markets during economic and financial crises. Using network methods coupled with in-sample and out-of-sample econometrics models, we find evidence that a fall in the return of commodity-currencies (dollar appreciation) predicts an increase in commodity market synchronization and, consequently, in commodity market systemic risk. This discovery is consistent with a transitive capacity phenomenon, suggesting that commodity currencies have a predictive ability over commodities that extend beyond the commodity bundle that a country produces. The latter behavior would be exacerbated by the high financialization of commodities and strong co-movement of commodity markets. Our paper is part of a vigorously growing literature that has recently measured and predicted systemic risk caused by synchronization, combining a complex systems perspective and financial network analysis. Full article

Sustainability is a critical issue for businesses today, and corporate boards and nomination committees play a vital role in promoting sustainable practices within organizations. Nomination Committees (NCs) have become important mechanisms for what has been coined as good or sustainable governance. Stakeholders, however, have different opinions on the merits of these committees. Amongst other things, there is disagreement about whom to select for NCs and the criteria for selection. The composition of NCs can influence board nominations and determine whether the necessary knowledge and skills reside within a board to deal with sustainability and good corporate governance. The aim of this research is to provide insights into stakeholders’ perspectives on what matters when profiling nomination committees’ members. The literature on NCs is underdeveloped, and this research importantly addresses the issue by interviewing 13 individuals who are either shareholders, board members of listed companies, or members of NCs. Additionally, a questionnaire was sent to shareholders, board members, and NC members of the 300 largest companies in Iceland. A total of 138 responses were received. The results show that stakeholders believe it is important to decide upon an NC’s composition prior to electing its members. NC members should have either management or board membership experience. Diversity within the committees is also seen to be important, as it can influence diversity and inclusion overall at the board level. These research results provide important insights and understanding for shareholders and boards of directors when composing nomination committees. Full article

Background: A growing literature, mostly based on selected populations, indicates that traumas may be associated with autoimmune diseases, yet few studies exist on adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) and multiple sclerosis (MS) in the general population. Objective: We assessed cross-sectional associations between self-reported ACEs and MS among Icelandic women in the population-based Stress-And-Gene-Analysis (SAGA) cohort. Methods: Participants (n = 27,870; mean age 44.9 years) answered a web-based survey that included the ACE-International Questionnaire and a question about MS diagnosis. Log-linear Poisson regression models estimated MS prevalence ratios and 95% confidence intervals for ACEs adjusted for covariates. Results: 214 women reported having been diagnosed with MS (crude prevalence = 7.7 per 1000). Compared to women without MS, women with MS reported more fatigue, body pain and bladder problems. The average cumulative number of ACEs was 2.1. After adjustment for age, education, childhood deprivation, smoking and depressive symptoms, MS prevalence did not increase with increasing ACEs exposure (PR = 1.00, 95% CI = 0.92, 1.09). Thirteen ACE categories, including abuse, neglect, household dysfunction and violence were not individually or independently associated with MS. Conclusion: Limited by self-reported data and cross-sectional design, results do not consistently support associations between ACEs in the development of MS among adult Icelandic women. Full article

The global renewable energy landscape is changing rapidly. Green energies reduce greenhouse gas emissions, diversify the energy supply, and lower dependence on volatile and uncertain fossil fuel markets. The future looks promising for green energy sources, which are taking on an increasingly important role, especially in the current context, as governments are trying to identify viable solutions to the energy crisis and reduce dependence on fossil fuels. Worldwide, there is a growing interest in and support for green energy sources, a factor that could help accelerate the current energy transition. Despite these positive developments, much remains to be done globally to make the energy transition a reality. In this respect, the European Union member states have committed to a wide neutrality target by establishing an increase in the total share of energy from renewable sources to 55% (by 2030) and, at the same time, reducing the net greenhouse gas effect emissions by at least 55% until 2030 to reach the neutrality target by 2050. Green energy sources are essential for long-term efforts to mitigate climate change and will play an important role in improving energy security and accessibility. The efforts of every country to strengthen the energy sector through the development of green energies will reduce geopolitical risks and disproportionate external costs for society. The large-scale use of green energies will contribute to sustainable development. The objective of our research is to review the literature on green energy in the context of sustainable development by analyzing research conducted by various authors and international organizations on these topics. The period considered for this study is 2011–2020. Our research focused on the EU 27, but the review also took into account the results obtained by other countries worldwide, such as China, the USA, Norway, and Iceland. The main research method used was the analysis of scientific papers, studies developed by international organizations, and a wide set of agreements and political commitments assumed by different states for developing green energy as a solution for sustainable development. The obtained results show an interesting international debate about green energies and how they can contribute to sustainable development. This paper’s results also show that in 2019 at the global level, low-carbon energy sources, including nuclear power and renewable energy, accounted for 15.7% of primary energy (solar, wind, hydropower, bioenergy, geothermal and wave and tidal), while in 2021, for the EU 27, the share of energy from renewable sources reached 22%. According to international statistics, more than 90% of the governments of many countries are making investments to efficiently capitalize on green energy sources and to design new models of sustainable economic and social development, in order to lower pollution levels, reduce the dependence on fossil fuel imports and limit the climate change impact. Full article