The Icelandic government announced in March 2007 that by the end of 2008, ten percent of state-run vehicles would be powered by eco-friendly fuel.
Currently only 22 of 1,500 vehicles operated by the government, or 1.5 percent, fulfill these requirements and it is highly unlikely that the government will reach its goal by the end of this year.
According to the government’s goal, 20 percent of state-run vehicles should be powered by eco-friendly fuel by 2010 and 35 percent by 2012, Fréttabladid reports.
Only one company that is owned by the state comes close to achieving this goal. At Pósturinn, the national postal service, ten out of 126 vehicles are eco-friendly, around eight percent.
“It is unfortunately far too common that the government makes lofty goals, especially on environment issues, but when the time comes to execute them they end up not having much in the bank,” said Bergur Sigurdsson, managing director of the NGO Landvernd, the Icelandic Environment Association.
“Many things have to change if the government is supposed to reach its announced goal of reducing its [greenhouse gas] emissions by 25 to 40 percent by 2020,” Sigurdsson said, adding he would like to see the government’s strategy in that matter.
“Every sign is leading in the opposite direction; the [greenhouse gas] emissions because of transport increased by 17 percent between 2005 and 2006,” Sigurdsson said. “The government has to make something happen.”
