City: Reykjavík, Iceland

Reporting to: Head of Climate Change Affairs

The Challenge

Green spaces, large and small, interlaced in the urban fabric of Reykjavík, are essential to the city’s culture, the biodiversity of the region, and the health and well-being of its residents. Reykjavík is a fast-growing city and has the goal of building 1,000 to 1,500 new apartments per year until 2030 in dense, mixed-use development with neighborhood sustainability as a guiding principle. As the city pursues ambitious goals for developing residential housing, it is crucial that Reykjavík minimizes the environmental and climate impacts of this construction, preserving—and possibly even expanding—local ecosystem services. The city has adopted the methodology and concept of the United Nation’s Environment Programme and defines ecosystem services as efforts around climate change mitigation and adaptation, and the translation of mainstream environmental sustainability principles into relevant economic and social policies and programs. The fellow will play a key role in these efforts.

To date, Reykjavík has established a number of high-level programs that underscore the city’s commitment to sustainability and lay out ambitious goals for the future. Key policies and programs that are priorities to our mayor include:

• The Reykjavík Green Deal which is a social and economic stimulus package, developed through a collaboration between city departments and municipal associations, that aims to catalyze Reykjavík’s green transition, with a focus on the circular and sharing economy, energy use, digital transformation, mobility, urban planning, biodiversity, public engagement, and key climate goals.
• The Reykjavík City Municipal Plan 2040 which is the city’s guide to long-term, sustainable urban development.
• The Climate Action Plan 2021-2025 which is based on Reykjavík’s 2016 policy to be carbon neutral by 2040 and adopt an environmentally and socially sustainable approach to climate change.
• The EU Mission: Climate Neutral and Smart Cities by 2030 which accelerates the city’s goal of climate neutrality by a decade. Reykjavík has already submitted the first draft of its Climate City Contract (CCC), which defines a pathway to climate neutrality by 2030.
• And the city’s policy on biodiversity which defines key objectives and key initiatives for fostering biodiversity—both inside and outside city limits.

The fellow will augment Reykjavík’s urban planning and find ways to better document the impact of green spaces and ecosystem services on citizen well-being. As part of the fellow’s research, public assumptions will be examined around the impact of construction, using existing environmental assessment frameworks. The fellow will also assess the feasibility of applying the methodology of economic value of ecosystem services as mentioned in the Reykjavík City Municipal Plan 2040. Through this work, we hope that the fellow can help us better understand the following questions:

• What is the best way to formulate an integrated assessment of how ecosystem services, the environment, climate, and biodiversity will be impacted by future planning?
• How can existing environmental checklists and reports be adapted to support this goal?
• How could such an assessment be introduced into the city administration?
• How could the city effectively disseminate this information to the public?

What You’ll Do

The fellow will work with key stakeholders, including employees of the city, local and international institutions, and elected members of the city council. As a member of our Climate Change Affairs team, the fellow will help realize and implement the ambitious goals of Reykjavík. Specific deliverables include:

• Literature review: review existing data and develop a suitable methodology that can be used to comprehensively assess the impact of construction on ecosystem services (utilizing existing approaches to environmental assessment frameworks, such as the methodology of economic value of ecosystem services as mentioned in the Reykjavík City Municipal Plan 2040).
• Pilot assessment: in consultation with city staff, apply the assessment methodology to at least one pilot area that is in the process of being zoned or that has recently been completed. Leverage existing data, where possible, and identify interviewees and alternative data sources where required. Collect and analyze data to assess the impact of new construction on ecosystem services, the environment, climate, and biodiversity.
• Final report/presentation: summarize key findings from the analysis in a report and present a summary to elected representatives and city staff. This should include both findings from the pilot, as well as recommendations for future environmental impact assessments.

What You’ll Bring

• Environmental impact assessment / understanding of ecosystem services
• Data analysis
• Design thinking
• Policy analysis
• Qualitative interviewing and analysis
• Financial modeling
• Language fluency in Icelandic (preferred)
• Mapping (GIS)