‘It's like going to the moon…’ exploring risk and stakeholder views of Iceland's Krafla Magma Testbed (KMT)

Gormally-Sutton, A.M. and Napier, H. (2026) ‘It's like going to the moon…’ exploring risk and stakeholder views of Iceland's Krafla Magma Testbed (KMT). Energy Research and Social Science, 136: 104728. ISSN 2214-6296

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Abstract

In 2009, the Icelandic Deep Drilling Project (IDDP-1) accidentally drilled into an active magma chamber at Krafla volcano in North-Eastern Iceland, only the third such occurrence in recorded history. Initially regarded as a failure, the event has since been reframed as a unique scientific opportunity, leading to the proposed Krafla Magma Testbed (KMT), a programme of renewed drilling and research to advance understanding of planetary processes and extreme geothermal energy. Drawing on semi-structured interviews with thirteen local stakeholders representing regional development workers, local political actors, a geologist and energy and power plant workers, this study explores how risk is perceived through the framing of the KMT. Findings suggest that risk is shaped not only by local experience, socio-economic conditions, and place-based identities, but also by wider global dynamics including climate politics and notions of planetary responsibility. Viewed through the lenses of the Anthropocene and geoethics, the KMT represents both a scientific and ethical frontier where deliberate human engagement with magma raises complex questions of governance, justice, and accountability. Ultimately, the study highlights that how risk is understood is context-specific and evolving, reflecting how local communities and global scientific ambitions intersect in navigating the challenges of living on a dynamic and volatile Earth.