The Prime Minister's speech when awarding Professor John Smol the Mohn Prize of Excellence in Arctic Research

As delivered

Well – dear friends,

I don't deserve applause for that (honorary) doctorate. – That was a very generous thing by the University (UiT), but let us give a big hand of applause to this year's Mohn Prize winner, Dr. John Smol. It is for me a great honor, on behalf of the Norwegian government, to extend the congratulation. – And let me put this into some context:

I explained to the audience earlier today that when I became Foreign Minister in 2005, we defined the High North as our strategic priority. And in our National Arctic Policy Strategy, we defined a few stable pillars to orient our policies, and I think those pillars still stand firm. Two of them, obviously: knowledge and international cooperation. This room tells a lot about that. Other pillars are our presence in the High North – we are here – in vibrant cities and communities. And the rich natural resources.

But perhaps if I were to lift two of them as guiding principles for everything we do, then it is knowledge, science, research, people's curiosity and search for answers. That has to be the underpinning issue.

I was asked by journalists, is your policies science-based? And I think in the final stage, making political decisions is about deliberations that have to weigh a number of issues. – But the inputs to that process have to be based on science and knowledge.

The prestigious Mohn Award this year is about the Arctic and climate change, in this way: In order to understand and respond to the environmental changes caused by global warming, we need to measure the very changes in the eco-systems. And, as I said this morning, the Arctic is a prime stage for that. As the canary in the mines, giving us science that has huge implications, far beyond. And Professor Smol's pioneering research has given us valuable tools to do so.

Professor, you are honored for your role in identifying stressors of environmental change in the Arctic and their consequences. More precisely, and I must admit this is not my area of expertise – that's why we have scientists – you have demonstrated great leadership in paleo-ecology, studying the sediments and water quality in Arctic lakes undergoing environmental change. – That may concern pollution, climate change, loss of biological diversity.

And it illustrates that Professor Smol's career reflects the role that science can play – and should play: an important role in solving real life challenges. And providing information to policy makers, in a way that is understandable, so we can act upon them.

This reminds us also of the pioneering work of the scientist behind this prize, after whom this prize is named, Henrik Mohn. Rector (of UiT), as you said, he was born in Bergen in 1835, started out as a physicist and astronomer, and went on to devote himself to meteorology. He served as a director general of the Norwegian Meteorological Institute from its inception in 1866 to 1913. He played an important role in the organization that was the forerunner for today's World Meteorological Organization, which is so important for climate change observations. And he pioneered our understanding of the Arctic weather systems. At the time, Henrik Mohn provided a number of polar expeditions with meteorological equipment, among them, the Fridtjof Nansen's Fram expedition.

Now, Henrik Mohn was the great uncle of the father of Trond Mohn sitting on the first row – Trond, will you raise? There he is. (Applause). And it speaks to Trond Mohn's engagement in this society's development that he has named the prize recognizing excellence in Arctic research after him. And we really need excellence.

Professor Smol has contributed to more than 700 publications. He is the recipient of a number of scientific awards. They are testimony to research excellence, the fruits of more than four decades of field work and research across the Arctic. And it bears mentioning that Professor Smol himself eagerly points out that scientific output on this scale is teamwork; never something done by one individual. 

What brings real results is close cooperation between colleagues, and as I understand, Professor, financial contributors, your old Queen's University in Kingston, Ontario, not to mention hundreds of PhD, master and bachelor students over the years, a big team. In underlining the importance of all your collaborators, you demonstrate beautifully true leadership in scientific pursuit. And for this too, we thank you.

Let me then end by saying that as polar nations, two of the polar nations, Norway and Canada, we emphasize the importance of facts and knowledge-based approach to our Arctic policies. And it's a sign of our times that Canada and Norway are getting closer. We tell our Canadian colleague that we see you as ‘an honorary Nordic’. And that's a compliment going both ways. So as allies in NATO, as partners in the Arctic, and also in these times where we need to stand up to fundamental principles, Canada is closer than ever.

For me and for other Norwegian and Canadian politicians, we need scientists to help us in that work, scientists like you, Professor Smol. Your work has not only transformed scientific understanding of Arctic systems, but also supplied critical data for us, policy-makers, as we grapple in political decisions with climate risks, freshwater security, biodiversity, Arctic sustainability. And I've seen a quote from you, Professor: “It's our job as scientists to present the facts clearly, without bias, and let society make informed decisions.” – How true. It doesn't make decisions easier, but when they are informed, at least we have the opportunity to move forward. As ‘simple’ as that.

So, Professor John Smol, we thank you deeply for your outstanding contributions to environmental science and policy in the Arctic. You truly deserve the prize, and may I ask you to come to the stage.

 

More information about the Prize:

• The Mohn Prize | UiT