2.1 Main Challenges

The main challenges for the region revolve around human resources, innovation, cooperation, demographic balance, health, culture and arts, sustainability, the circular economy, landscape features, cultural heritage, climate change, and biodiversity. 

The regional plan addresses the main challenges that the region will face in the near future, which include: 

  1. Strengthening human resources and fostering innovation.
  2. Enhancing cooperation between municipalities, residents, businesses, and community institutions.1
  3. Promoting demographic balance, good health for residents, and flourishing culture and arts.2
  4. Utilizing resources sustainably and supporting the development of a circular economy.3
  5. Preserving and enhancing landscape features and cultural heritage.4
  6. Addressing climate change and strengthening biodiversity.5

The United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals are reflected in these challenges, as well as national plans that municipalities must consider in their policy and planning processes.6 These challenges appear similarly in previous and current regional plans, such as the regional growth plan, destination plan, and in the policy documents of the municipalities on individual issues. 

  • 1 Aðgerðaáætlun um Árósarsamninginn 2018-2021. Heimsmarkmið 17.
  • 2 Austurland. Stöðugreining 2019. Lýðheilsustefna og aðgerðaáætlun. Heimsmarkmið 3, 4 og 5.
  • 3 Hringrásarhagkerfi. Stefna um úrgangsforvarnir 2016-2027. Heimsmarkmið 6, 7, 12, 14 og 15.
  • 4 Landslagssamningur Evrópu. Menningarstefna í mannvirkjagerð.
  • 5 Aðgerðaáætlun í loftslagsmálum. Samningur SÞ um líffræðilega fjölbreytni og stefnumörkun Íslands um framkvæmd samningsins um líffræðilega fjölbreytni. Heimsmarkmið 11, 14 og 15.
  • 6 Landsskipulagsstefna 2015-2016.