Støre said it was a great honour to speak at the same venue where Roald Amundsen gave his first lecture abroad after having reached the South Pole. He paid tribute to British and Norwegian polar explorers and set out Norwegian perspectives and priorities relating to the Arctic as well as Antarctica.
The seminar “Breaking the Ice – Exploring Polar Potentials” was linked to the Centenary of Roald Amundsen’s 1911 South Pole Expedition, but focused also on present-day challenges and opportunities in the Polar Regions, including political and legal as well as climate and resource-related issues.
“The seminar reflected the strong ties between the UK and Norway in Polar affairs. I am glad so many had the opportunity take part in this event”, said Ambassador Kim Traavik.
During the seminar, Mr Geir Kløver, Director of the Fram Museum in Oslo, and Mr Alasdair Macleod, Head of Enterprise and Resources at the Royal Geographical Society, shed light on Roald Amundsen’s expedition to the South Pole in 1911, including through a presentation of artefacts from the expedition on display at the Royal Geographical Society.
Scientists Dr Olav Orheim, the Research Council of Norway, and Professor Nicholas J P Owens, Director of the British Antarctic Survey, spoke on present-day and future challenges related to climate change and the melting of the ice in the Polar Regions.
The around 100 participants at the seminar included British politicians and officials, representatives from relevant scientific and research institutions, non-governmental organisations and business communities as well as diplomats.