The word “climate” conjures up associations for most of us. For some, images of weather and wind or palm trees and rainforests are evoked, while others think of the Earth as a whole. The word doesn’t even have to refer to nature; it can also be used to refer to, for example, the economy. None of these are outright wrong, but there are many misconceptions out there. This little word has the power to stir up strong emotions and spark heated debates.

This blog is connected to The Norwegian Museum of Science and Technology and the exhibition klima2+. Our desire for this post is to say something about what we base our contribution to the growing number of climate-related issues on. So, what is climate?

According to the latest reports from the UN's Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, we are better off limiting global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius, as opposed to 2 degrees. A global warming that is half a degree lower could be the difference between life and death for many of the planet's species. But it is urgent. We are already seeing a global increase in average temperatures of more than 1 degree Celsius since pre-industrial times. And the increase is greatest in the Arctic. So, what should we do to try to slow and limit warming? 

Electric car stands for electric car, in other words a car that is powered by electricity. It is a familiar word for some and perhaps an annoying word for others. Electric cars usually use energy that is stored in batteries and we will comment on it in this post. The dream of electric cars, with clean, green energy is just that, a dream.

In a small glass room in the corner of the Klima2+ exhibition, the technicians have their own bubble. We will enter this bubble together, and maybe get answers to some questions. What are they working on? How do they do it? And why is it an important contribution to the climate fight? 

We think, "But what happens if I lose the electricity? What happens if my house floods with water? What if I lose my phone?" But often we don't think about how lucky we are to live on this watery planet and how important water was for the origin of life.  

I promised you that we would talk more about the boreal coniferous forest, of which our wonderful forest is a part. I myself grew up on the edge of the mythical Finnskogen. Will you join me on a forest tour?

Hans Martin has faced his share of opposition from climate deniers over the years. We talk to him about the importance of classifying the changes we see as a climate crisis, and about changes in the discourse on climate from the publication of “Our Common Future” by the Brundtland Commission in 1987 to the present day. Not to mention the great commitment we see from the rising generation and their drive to try to secure a safer future for themselves.

On December 22, 2020, the Supreme Court ruled in favor of the state and the Ministry of Petroleum and Energy in the climate lawsuit. The questions surrounding this incident are many and important. Why was it important for the environmental organizations to prevail? What does the ruling mean? What implications does it have, nationally and globally? How do we move forward from here?