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The Icelandic Highlands is one of Europe's last surviving wildernesses. It's an intricate eco-system of geo-thermal pools, with rivers banked by deep, springy emerald moss woven with tiny red and yellow flowers in a land where no-one has ever walked.

But right now this wonder is the construction site of the giant Karahnjukar dam. Even worse will follow unless we stop it: The Icelandic national power company plans a whole series of similar projects that would trash 25% of the entire country by 2020.

We must stop the Icelandic government and Alcoa destroying Europe’s last remaining wilderness for an aluminium plant!

An Icelandic campaigner said of the project:
"If this happens we will lose our soul. The spirit that has nourished us for over 1000 years will be broken."

He spoke of how the land "vibrates with life". It has a "mystical, spiritual power".

The Icelandic campaigners have fought this project alone for the last few years. They now need our help. Many of the Icelandic people feel defeated by the start of this project, but the arrival of international activists will be a huge encourage and many more will join us.

It is not too late to stop the destruction

Join the protest gathering in Iceland this summer: Actions run from June until the end of August or early September. This is a crucial time for the campaign as the Summer is the best time for the dam building work. If we stop the work we can set the project back months and maybe stop this monstrous plan permanently.

Contact: beautiful_iceland@yahoo.co.uk

"Nobody can afford to allow the divine Icelandic dragon of
flowers and ice to be devastated by corporate greed".

Getting there

Fly to Iceland for around £120 return. The campaign will arrange transport to the site. Bargain!

Can't make it to Iceland?

You can help the campaign wherever you are. Target:

• Alcoa who plan to use the electricity from the dam to run a huge aluminium smelter (being built by Bechtel, due to be operational in 2007) which itself will pollute and ruin Reydarfjordur, a pristine eastern fjord.
• Barclays Bank, who are funding the project.

We want your ideas for actions against the project - Eco-magic, protest and non-violent direct action.

Links

Campaign:
Main site:
http://www.savingiceland.org/

The Guardian article "Power Driven" is very good as it takes a broad look at
Icelandic society as a whole:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/weekend/story/0,3605,1094541,00.html

Schnews article:
http://www.schnews.org.uk/archive/news487.htm

Damned Nation - Article from The Ecologist, 1 Jan 2004
http://www.mindfully.org/Water/2004/Karahnjukar-Hydroelectric-Dam1jan04.htm

Corporate:
Alcoa aluminium are the corporate force behind the project:
http://www.alcoa.com/global/en/home.asp

Barclays Bank are helping to fund the destruction. They say:
" We believe that value is created and maximised when we meet the needs of shareholders, customers, employees, and the communities where we live and work. That's why we take corporate social responsibility (CSR) seriously":
http://www.barclays.co.uk/

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Getting there - Links - Eco-Magic for Iceland