Polar explorer sounds alarm

Norwegian polar explorer Ousland is just back from an expedition that's left him convinced that drastic measures are needed to halt the rate at which polar ice is melting.

Ousland, who trekked from the North Pole to Franz Josefs Land in the footsteps of legendary explorer Fridtjof Nansen, said he noticed major changes in the landscape since the first time he went to the North Pole in 1990.

"The ice was around three meters thick 17 years ago," Ousland said "This time, we measured the ice every day and we didn't find any ice that was thicker than two meters."

Ousland said he and his team also witnessed polar bears trapped on Kapp Flora. The polar bears didn't have enough strength to swim the distance needed to reach the nearest firm ice, he said.

World Evironment Day celebrated in Tromsoe (Tromsø)

The main international celebrations of the World Environment Day 2007, Sunday June 3th are held in Norway's northern city of Tromsoe, in cooperation with the UNEP. A range of events, reflecting the threats from global warming to the people and wildlife across the world, will be staged. 2007 also marks the start of International Polar Year.

The World Environment Day slogan selected for 2007 is Melting Ice – a Hot Topic? In support of International Polar Year, the WED theme selected for 2007 focuses on the effects that climate change is having on polar ecosystems and communities, and the ensuing consequences around the world.

Half of Barents ice is gone

A new report on the state of the Barents Sea is setting off new alarms within Norway’s government and the institute that tracks developments in the Arctic.

The report, shows that half of the summer ice in the Barents has disappeared over the past 10 years.

Rising seas threaten Bergen

Climate change and rising sea levels are posing huge threats to the historic city of Bergen on Norway's west coast. Large areas of downtown face submersion, and the ancient wharf known as Bryggen is especially vulnerable.

A sudden fall in groundwater levels under Bryggen, years of settling and frequent flooding are endangering the structural stability of the complex, which dates back to Viking times. The wharf's current buildings stem from the early 1700s, rooted in the latter days of the Hanseatic League.

Bryggen (Norwegian, "The Wharf"), also known as Tyskebryggen ("the German Wharf") is a series of Hanseatic commercial buildings lining the eastern side of the fjord coming into Bergen, Norway. Bryggen is on the UNESCO list for World Cultural Heritage sites. The name has the same origin as the Flemish city of Brugge.

Big green promises

Prime Minister Jens Stoltenberg opened the Labour Party's national congress Thursday with the bold environmental promises he had refused to make before.

"Forward to 2020 we assume the duty of cutting greenhouse gases by 30 percent," Stoltenberg said in his speech to the party congress. "The mission of greenhouse gases is the most important challenge of our time and the challenges are greater than we previously believed," he said.
Idon't believe in miracles from the government.

Stoltenberg also promised to buy CO2 quotas for 100 percent of Norway's greenhouse emissions by 2050, to make the country "carbon neutral", in an address with a clear emphasis on climate commitments.

Let's hope so!!!

Warmest winter ever

Spring seemed to bust out all over in Oslo this week, not the best news just before the biggest winter sports weekend of the year at Holmenkollen.

With little snow and unseasonably high temperatures, experts agree that the winter of 2006-2007 looks set to go down in the record books as the warmest winter ever.
It's also been the warmest winter in the entire northern hemisphere since records started being kept 125 years ago, reports the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

Unofficial temperatures hit 16C in Oslo on Thursday, or nearly 60F. The snow is mostly gone in the city, and the ski association that hosts the annual World Cup competition at Holmenkollen in the hills above the city has had to fly in snow for the runs with helicopters.