Reykjavík

Iceland

Missiestad Zustertstad Pilotstad
Nationaal missie-ecosysteem Iceland
Reykjavík Mission City Label
Bevolking 240k
Stadsgebied 162.4 km²
Stad actief sinds June 2022

he City of Reykjavík has been ambitious in climate issues since the first Climate Policy was published in 2009. Subsequently, the City sought to be a member of the Covenant of Mayors in 2011, and in 2016 a policy was set to become carbon neutral by 2040. Two detailed Action Plans have since been published. It was in continuation of this ambition that it was decided to participate in applying to be one of the 112 cities in the European Co-operation for carbon neutral and smart cities in 2030.

 

By this, the City of Reykjavík speeding up the goal by a decade, and it is clear that the goal can only be achieved with the participation of several parties. A lot has happened since the first Climate Policy was established. The highlights of the journey have been focusing not only on GHG emissions but on co-benefits of climate actions. People become healthier as the city becomes denser, has more infrastructure for pedestrians, cyclists and public transport. At the same time, this makes the city more welcoming for existing and new businesses and tourists, which strengthens the economy and increases the use of local renewable energy by supporting charging stations for cars and electric bikes

Belangrijkste leerpunten

Developing the Future of a Climate Neutral Reykjavik - ECT activity

Reykjavik is pursuing a strategic shift in urban mobility and spatial development, focusing on densification and reduced car dependency. However, entrenched car use and climate conditions make transformation complex. This project compares parking infrastructure models— underground basement vs. shared above-ground—and their implications for mobility behavior, emissions, and long-term land use. It aims to guide future planning in Reykjavik and other car-dependent cities through empirical evidence and lifecycle analysis. Objectives Test models for shifting away from car dependency Assess life cycle emissions of parking infrastructures Develop an incremental planning framework for mobility transformation Promote more just and affordable urban development Share findings for wider application ECT = Enabling City Transformation

Piercing through the Gridlocks - Reykjavik pilot activity

Piercing through the Gridlocks addresses behavioural barriers to sustainable transport and waste management through evidence-based research and targeted interventions. A comprehensive public participation survey maps citizens' habits, barriers, and preferences — forming the basis for co-designed behaviour change initiatives across both sectors. Year 1 delivered strong early results. The survey received 1,800+ responses against a target of 1,000. A waste-sorting intervention with foreign residents achieved an 85% improvement in sorting rates within one month. A student mobility intervention enrolled 468 participants, with incentivised groups showing noticeably higher sustainable transport use than the control group. Despite staff turnover and local government changes disrupting survey distribution, the project maintained momentum and delivered across all major workstreams.

Better Reykjavik

Better Reykjavik is an online platform for the crowdsourcing of solutions to urban challenges launched in May 2010. Better Reykjavik is a co-creation project of the Citizens Foundation, Reykjavik City and its citizens that connects them and improves trust and policy. It’s a platform for crowdsourcing solutions to urban challenges and has multiple democratic functions: Agenda setting, Participatory budgeting and Policymaking. Innovations include unique debating system, crowd-sourcing, submission of multimedia content and extensive use of AI to improve the user experience as well as content submitted. Better Reykjavik is an umbrella for several programs, including the city’s participatory budgeting platform called “My Neighborhood” and the City Council’s participatory lawmaking project is called “Your Voice.” Over 20% of the population of the City regularly uses the platform, which has over 27,000 registered users, primarily for participatory budgeting.
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Proefprojecten
Klimaatstadcontract Profiel van Jakobstad (Zustertstad)

Externe projecten

Betrokkenheid van de stad bij gerelateerde Europese initiatieven