The Gardarsholm Project

A successful event on climatic changes at Andrews Theater

sigurdur — Thu, 19 Apr 2012 11:48:22 +0000

Gardarsholm was invited by Keilir, Atlantic Centre of Excellence to give a lecture on the current changes in earth’s climate and the effects this is having on people’s lives around the globe. The event was held in collaboration with Al Gore’s organization Climate Reality Project, Kadeco (The Keflavik Airport Development Corporation) and the Institute for Sustainability Studies of the University of Iceland. Gardarsholm’s project manager presented Gore’s latest multimedia show and the president of Iceland Mr. Ólafur Ragnar Grímsson gave an account of his trip to Antarctica with Mr. Gore earlier this year. To conclude visiting scientists from NASA, studying the Greenland ice sheet gave a brief encounter of their research. The event was well attended and a lively debate ensued.

Caroline Schill’s report on lessons on law reform

sigurdur — Fri, 09 Mar 2012 15:45:37 +0000

Our amazing intern from last summer Caroline Schill produced a very good piece of work during her stay here on what Iceland can learn from other countries about reforming the law on land reclamation and soil conservation. This work will feed directly into the work of the special committee formed by the Minister of the Environment, Svandís Svavarsdóttir on the issue. Here is the report for you all to enjoy.

Final report internship_Lessons learned for effective soil conservation in Iceland_Caroline Schill_20110809

Landsvirkjun supports Gardarsholm

sigurdur — Mon, 05 Mar 2012 14:03:54 +0000

Gardarsholm recently received the generous grant of one million Icelandic krona from Landsvirkjun Community fund but Landsvirkjun is an Icelandic state owned energy company. This is invaluable for the project as we are still in a development phase and therefore … Continue reading →

Gardarsbrunnur (the well of Gardar)

sigurdur — Tue, 29 Nov 2011 12:47:54 +0000

Gardarsbrunnur is a name given to series of lectures held by Gardarsholm. The first Gardarsbrunnur series was held this summer in conjunction with the setting sail festival. This is a rather belated update on this due to the busy Gardarsholm household . In this first series Árni Sigurbjarnarson, entrepreneur and a key component of the Gardarsholm team kicked us off with a short history of the Gardarsholm project and theoretical foundations and then we had brilliant lectures from some of our collaborators who told us about their respective institutions, emphasis and research projects. Our guest speakers were: Guðrún Pétursdóttir, director of Institute for Sustainability Studies, Stephan Barthel, research co-ordinator with iHOPE and researcher with the Beijer Institute of Ecological Economics, Sveinn Runólfsson, director of the Soil Conservation Service of Iceland, Þröstur Eysteinsson, division manager of the National Forests in Iceland, Kirsten Hastrup, professor of Anthropology with the University of Copenhagen and leader of the Waterworlds project and Ari Trausti Guðmundsson, scientist and writer.

24 Hours of Reality in Húsavík

sigurdur — Mon, 12 Sep 2011 12:33:21 +0000

Gardarsholm is very proud to take part in a seminal event in discourse on global warming. Al Gore and his Climate Reality Project are conducting an event where Gore’s new multimedia show on the climate crisis will be delivered in 24 countries, in 24 hours, in 24 timezones in various languages. Gardarsholm has been chosen to be it’s Icelandic representatives. The event in Húsavík will take place on Thursday the 15th of September in the Gardarsholm building on the waterfront. The doors open at 6pm and guest will be treated to light refreshments courtesy of Gamli Baukur restaurant. The program starts at 7pm sharp with an introduction and welcome by Embla Eir Oddsdóttir, MA, from the Stefansson Arctic Institute followed by the multimedia presentation of Climate Reality by Gardarsholm’s Sigurður Eyberg, MS. This will be topped up by a panel discussion from Brynhildur Davidsdottir, Phd, from the University of Iceland, Halldór Björnsson, Phd, from The Icelandic Met Office and Þröstur Eysteinsson, Phd, from the Iceland Forest Service, with possible inputs from the specialists joined at the studio in New York.

A viewing party will be held at Nordic House in Reykjavik so all who don’t have the opportunity to join us at Húsavík can join in the festivities there.

The event will be streamed at climatereality.com

Excellent “setting sail” event

sigurdur — Wed, 31 Aug 2011 12:53:19 +0000

The Gardarsholm sets sail event was an all round success. Prime Minister Jóhanna Sigurðardóttir, EU ambassador Timo Summa, Sweden’s ambassador Anders Ljunggren and Mayor of Norðurþing Bergur Elías Ágústsson talked about the bravery and the drive needed to forge ahead with new exciting ventures in difficult times and the dire need to focus on solutions to the massive environmental problems facing the world today. Professor Kirsten Hastrup then delved deeper into the science of these issues and how Gardarsholm can provide a platform for discussion and education on those problems. Official agreements were signed between Gardarsholm and The University of Iceland, Stockholm University and the University of Copenhagen and all this was topped up with beautiful jazzy music from Iceland’s beloved Ragnheiður Gröndal and Ylfingarnir. What is to be the conference hall of Gardarsholm’s new site in Húsavík was stretched to the limit, as local people, ministers, members of parliament and interational guests filled all seats as well as the isles but proved itself to be a very comfortable and well functioning conference hall in spite of its humble decor as all refurbishments have yet to be made to the old herring factory. A truly wonderful day and we thank all who participated and celebrated with us.

Gardarsholmur – Sets sail

sigurdur — Thu, 30 Jun 2011 12:10:25 +0000

On Monday July 18th, Gardarsholmur will officially set sail. The project has been in preparation for some time and has now reached a momentum of such a scale that the time has come to introduce it to the world. The event will take place in Gardarsholmur’s new and future headquarters at Hafnarstétt in Húsavík, North-Iceland. The proceedings start at five pm. with speeches from Jóhanna Sigurðardóttir, Prime Minister of Iceland, Timo Summa, Ambassador for the European Union in Iceland and Anders Ljunggren, the Swedish Ambassador in Iceland, followed by music by Iceland’s favorite singer Ragnheiður Gröndal and the amazing jazz band Ylfingarnir. All are welcome to join in the festivities and we hope to see you all there.

Garðarshólmur’s first intern has arrived

sigurdur — Wed, 15 Jun 2011 08:55:40 +0000

Garðarshólmur’s first intern, Carolin Schill has arrived from Germany. Carolin comes from the Black Forest in Germany but is currently studying Ecosystems, Resilience and Governance at the Stockholm Resilience Centre. She also holds a masters degree in Business Administration from the University of Mannheim. Carolin will be working with the recently formed committee looking into updating the Icelandic law on soil conservation, created by the Minister for the Environment; Svandís Svavarsdóttir. We are very happy to have Carolin with us this summer and have no doubt her work will be invaluable for the committee and therefore Iceland as a whole.

Great video on soil reclamation in Iceland (in Icelandic tho)

sigurdur — Wed, 15 Jun 2011 08:39:26 +0000

Here is a very good video from the Soil Conservation Service of Iceland. Tells a long and a dramatic story in ten short minutes. It is in Icelandic tho. Enjoy:

http://www.land.is/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=160&Itemid=452

A very successful conference

sigurdur — Tue, 17 May 2011 16:32:25 +0000

Garðarshólmur recently brought together some of the finest minds in Iceland and Scandinavia to confer on issues relating to the Garðarshólmur theme; sustainability/resilience. The conference was built around the visit of two of the world’s most esteemed scientists in the field of co-evolution of man and nature, Carole Crumley form the Stockholm Resilience Centre and Kirsten Hastrup from the University of Copenhagen. A wealth of knowledge and research was shared through talks and presentations made by the two foreign guests as well as some of Iceland’s many brilliant specialists. Speakers and guest included in addition to the aforementioned:
Þröstur Eysteinsson from the Iceland Forest Service, Andrés Arnalds from the Soil Conservation Service, Ólafur Arnalds from the Agricultural University of Iceland, Brynhildur Davíðsdóttir from the University of Iceland, Gísli Pálsson from the University of Iceland, Hafdís Hanna Ægisdóttir from the United Nations University, Guðrún Alda Gísladóttir from the Institute of Archaeology, Óli Halldórsson from the Húsavík Academic Centre and Ari Trausti Guðmundsson, geophysicists and writer.

Work on a formal agreement on cooperation between Garðarshólmur and Stockholm Resilience Centre and the University of Copenhagen respectively are now in progress.