When Greta Thunberg became Editor-in-Chief – briefly

Road to 2045

When Greta Thunberg became Editor-in-Chief – briefly

By Peter Berlin “Handing over the responsibility for Sweden’s largest daily newspaper to an uneducated teenage activist is sheer madness, were it not for the fact that we live in an existential crisis which is still being ignored in our society.” Thus read the stark opening lines in the December 6 editorial of the mainstream newspaper Dagens Nyheter, and the words were those of famous climate activist Greta Thunberg. The newspaper had decided to throw its weight behind the sustainability agenda and invited her to be its Editor-inChief for a day.

In her editorial, Greta went on to insist that, to save our climate, the task of stemming greenhouse gas emissions has to begin today, not in 2025 or 2030. More action and less talk is

Greta Thunberg at the European Parliament on 4 March 2020.

needed, she insists. Only if the general public is made sufficiently aware of the crisis situation will they exert the necessary pressure on industry and governments to act, and it is up to the news media to instil this awareness. So let’s get our skates on!

Climate change doubters point out that the global climate has fluctuated between hot and cold over centuries and millenia. It is a natural phenomenon and has nothing to do with human activities – or so they say. However, it doesn’t take a rocket scientist to examine satellite images and realize that the Arctic and Antarctic ice caps are melting at an unprecedented rate; nor does it require a geophysicist to conclude that receding coastlines are the result of rising ocean water levels.

The scientific observation of climate change is quite recent. In 1988, the World Health Organisation (WMO) set up the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) dedicated to “providing the world with objective, scientific information relevant to understanding the scientific basis of the risk of human-induced climate change, its natural, political, and economic impacts and risks, and possible response options.” Its first chairman was the Swedish meteorologist Bertil Bolin.

It is interesting to follow the IPCC’s conclusions since its inception. In 1990, the first Assessment Report stated that the observed global warming is of the same magnitude as natural climate variability. The unequivocal detection of the enhanced greenhouse effect is not likely for a decade or more. So far, the doubters were vindicated. However, the tone in the subsequent IPCC reports issued in 1996, 2001 and 2007 became more and more alarmist.

Dagens Nyheter invited Greta Thunberg to be its Editor-in Chief for a day. Photo: DN.se

The latest published report is dated 2014 and spells out the causes and effects of global warming in no uncertain terms: Warming of the climate system is unequivocal. Atmospheric concentrations of carbon dioxide, methane, and nitrous oxide have increased to levels unprecedented in at least the last 800,000 years. It is extremely likely (95-100% probability) that human influence was the dominant cause of global warming between 1951 and 2010.

The next report will be released in 2022. The trend seems clear. Greta Thunberg – who was nominated for the 2019 and 2020 Nobel Peace Prize – may have work to do for years to come. And so do the news media, as long as Greta has a say in the matter.

Hemma hos

Experience the 31st Icehotel From Your Living Room

By Kristi Robinson

For thirty-one winters now, the ice hotel in Jukkasjärvi has taken shape from ice harvested from the Torne River. Each year the hotel is different from the last, attracting artists from all over the world with their unique vision. Run as an annual competition,

‘Sauna’ by Luca Roncoroni for the Icehotel 365

the artists vie to create a themed room. However, the pandemic brought a change to everyone’s bestlaid plans, and the Icehotel made the decision to cancel the international design competition in 2020. To make things run smoothly, they opted to invite local artists who had previous experience working on the Icehotel. In Creative Director Luca Roncoroni’s words: “The pandemic forced us to think differently, but the result is a stunning homage to Sweden.” He went on to express what a success this year has been: “The twenty-four Swedish-based artists created concepts that will mesmerize our guests, giving them a much needed escape from the reality of this year.”

[Design]

‘Paradice Lost’ by Kalle Ekeroth & Christian Strömqvist

The Icehotel really stepped out of the box this time around to give guests and hotel enthusiasts an interactive experience. For those who are able to visit the hotel, each suite has a QR code that can be scanned to hear an audio guide tell the story behind its design. Given that travel isn’t possible for most, we can hear these stories on the Icehotel website and take a look at the new 360 degree photos. Without a doubt, the coolest new feature is the Icehotel’s augmented reality (AR) experience that lets you step inside the art suites. For those who haven’t tried AR before, your mobile device acts like a viewfinder into another 3D world that blends with your surroundings. The Icehotel website links you to Instagram where you can explore the hotel.

‘Toybox’ by Wouter Biegelaar & Viktor Tsarski

From your warm living room, take a trip into ‘Paradice Lost’ by Kalle Ekeroth and Christian Strömqvist. ‘The dreamy suite weaves the tale of an abandoned Swedish hotdog stand, where good old fast food faire speaks of a past history and a future to come. Behind the kiosk you’ll find a bed nestled in overgrown roots, inviting you in for a slumber. Undergo ice bubble therapy in Lena Kriström and Nina Hedman’s suite ‘A Break’. The sculptors have created a bubble therapy corner where you can go inside an ice bubble. Exiting the bubble is a metaphor for breaking through limitations.

‘A Break’ by Lena Kriström & Nina Hedman

At the Icehotel 365, the year-round counterpart to the Icehotel Winter, you can unwind in Luca Roncoroni’s ‘Sauna’, complete with two ovens, a tub big enough to hold 631 liters of imaginary water, and even plush towels and a bathrobe. The artist hopes you’ll use your imagination to relax in what he describes as probably the coldest sauna in the world. Also new to the Icehotel 365 is ‘Toybox’, a whimsical suite by Wouter Biegelaar and Viktor Tsarski. Inspired by their own children, Toybox brings your inner child to life in a room full of frozen toys.

To see Icehotel 365 photos, listen to the audio guide, or have the AR experience, go to Icehotel.com.

All photos © Asaf Kliger/ © Icehotel