1.1 Role and Tasks
The goal of the municipalities in East Iceland is to make the region increasingly desirable for living, working, and traveling. The East Iceland Regional Plan aims to support this goal by aligning the municipalities’ policies in the areas of environment, economy, society, and culture. Efforts are made to integrate these four areas to ensure sustainable development for the benefit of current and future generations.
The Regional Plan defines several tasks in each area based on:
– Regional issues that have been discussed in the action plan1 and the destination plan for East Iceland2, as well as at the East Iceland Association of Local Authorities in recent years.3
– The National Planning Strategy 2015-20264 and the Planning Agency’s proposal for an addendum addressing climate, landscape, and public health.5
– The United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, of which there are 17, each with several sub-goals.6
An emphasis was placed on highlighting sectors and tasks of regional importance while also allowing for the addition of policies on individual issues later as needed to form a common policy among the municipalities. New tasks should be able to find their place within the framework set by the Regional Plan.
There was also an emphasis on the Regional Plan setting a general policy that clearly outlines the direction for more detailed policy formation in the municipalities’ master plans and other plans. Environmental impact assessments7 will play an important role in ensuring consistency with the Regional Plan and other relevant policy documents.