Mergers of institutions: The aim is to ensure that ÍSOR can continue to provide services and advice to the energy industry and public parties in its field.

Guðlaugur Þór Þórðarson, Minister of the Environment, Energy and Climate, presented at a Cabinet meeting yesterday the plans to merge ten of the ministry's institutions into three powerful institutions — the Nature Conservation and Heritage Agency, the Natural Science Institute and the Climate…

Guðlaugur Þór Þórðarson, Minister of the Environment, Energy and Climate, presented at a cabinet meeting yesterday the plans to merge ten of the ministry's institutions into three powerful institutions — the Nature Conservation and Heritage Agency, the Natural Sciences Institute and the Climate Institute. The ministry's institutions are to be strengthened to tackle the enormous challenges that await us as a society, with climate issues at the top of the list. The main emphasis is on continuing to secure existing human resources and knowledge and on staff enjoying priority for new positions.

A contribution to this work is also an ongoing review of ÍSOR, where the guiding principle is to ensure that the institution can continue to provide the energy industry and public bodies with services and advice in its field.

The Natural Sciences Institute is expected to merge the Icelandic Institute of Natural History, the Icelandic Meteorological Office, the National Land Survey of Iceland, ÍSOR (Iceland GeoSurvey) and the Nature Research Station at Mývatn. A clear core is anticipated in the activities of each institution, with emphasis on flexibility in transferring projects between institutions to increase results, efficiency and rationalization. A final position has not been taken on the locations of the headquarters of the new institutions, but with regard to regional considerations, great emphasis is placed on increasing the number of jobs in rural areas.

Further information about the minister's plans can be found in an announcement on the Government's website Stjórnarráðið | Three powerful institutions instead of ten