The Nobel Peace Prize 2007 is shared between Vice President Al Gore and the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) for their efforts to build up and disseminate greater knowledge about man-made climate change, and to lay the foundations for the measures that are needed to counteract such change.
15/10/2007 :: The Nobel Peace Prize was announced by the Norwegian Nobel Committee in Oslo 12 October.
-Making a difference
"Al Gore has for a long time been one of the world’s leading environmentalist politicians. He became aware at an early stage of the climatic challenges the world is facing. His strong commitment, reflected in political activity, lectures, films and books, has strengthened the struggle against climate change. He is probably the single individual who has done most to create greater worldwide understanding of the measures that need to be adopted", the Committee states.
-Established broad consensus
"IPCC has created an ever-broader informed consensus about the connection between human activities and global warming. Thousands of scientists and officials from over one hundred countries have collaborated to achieve greater certainty as to the scale of the warming. Whereas in the 1980s global warming seemed to be merely an interesting hypothesis, the 1990s produced firmer evidence in its support. In the last few years, the connections have become even clearer and the consequences still more apparent", the Committee states.
Norway's Prime Minister: -Vital new knowledge
“The UN Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change has given us vital new knowledge about the most urgent problem of our time, based on extensive scientific research. More than anyone else, Al Gore has inspired popular interest and engagement in climate change issues. I have met both Al Gore and the Chair of the IPCC, Dr Pachauri, on several occasions and I am impressed and grateful for all the work they have done”, says Prime Minister Jens Stoltenberg.
-Need for sharper focus
"By awarding the Nobel Peace Prize for 2007 to the IPCC and Al Gore, the Norwegian Nobel Committee is seeking to contribute to a sharper focus on the processes and decisions that appear to be necessary to protect the world’s future climate, and thereby to reduce the threat to the security of mankind. Action is necessary now, before climate change moves beyond man’s control", the Committee states.
The Nobel Peace Prize was first awarded in Norway in 1901. Each year on 10 December, the Laureate is presented with a gold medal, a diploma and a monetary award in a ceremony at the Oslo City Hall.
Melting Ice on Svalbard. Photo: Scanpix
Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs