Opinion piece "Hvor grønt har Universitetet i Stavanger blitt?" published in Khrono

An opinion piece I wrote today, "Hvor grønt har Universitetet i Stavanger blitt?" (in reply to Harald N. Røstvik´s opinion piece "Er UIS fortsatt "Oljeuniversitetet i Stavanger"?") has been published in Khrono.

New work title for book on CCS; to be finished in one year

Today I have started on my new work routine for book projects, with, among other things, half a day´s concentrated work on an academic book each week. The academic book project for the next year is a politics-relevant book I have been doing research for since 2005. Today I changed its work title from «Utslippsfrie nye verden? Hva debatten om gasskraftverk sier om natursynet i norsk offentlighet» to «Utslippsfrie nye verden? Hva debatten om gasskraftverk sier om norsk natursyn» [Emission-free new world? What the debate about gas power plants says about Norwegian nature view].

Siri Kalvig to head UiS Research Network in Sustainable Energy

Siri Kalvig has been employed as Associate professor at University of Stavanger and appointed  leader of the newly established Research Network in Sustainable Energy, according to a UiS news story. I take this as a signal that this network may get a quite high profile. Siri Kalvig is very much qualified for the job, in terms of science, business contacts, and media abilities.

Petition against Arctic oil exploration: Website and society launched; anyone can join

Some time ago I signed a petition to stop oil exploration in the Arctic, along with some 200 other persons and NGOs. Now a society has been formed, and a website launched where people can join the petition - 112aksjonen.no.

See also:

Petition against oil exploration in the Arctic signed

The Guardian news story on petition against Arctic oil plans

In the news story "Karl Ove Knausgaard condemns Norway's Arctic oil plans" (May 19th), the Guardian refers to a Norwegian "campaign to sue the government"over Arctic oil plans. This refers to a petition signed by some "200 leading cultural figures and environmental organisations", including me.

See also: 

Petition against oil exploration in the Arctic signed

Petition against oil exploration in the Arctic signed

I am among the ones who signed the petition "Stopp grunnlovsstridig oljeleting i Arktis!" [Stop constitution-violating oil exploration in the Arctic!], along with some 200 others, most of them cultural figures (such as authors). The petition was published in the Norwegian daily Dagsavisen April 27th.

The petition triggered quite a bit of media coverage, including mention on public radio (NRK) and:

Kulturtopper truer med å saksøke staten (NRK)

Felles kamp mot ny oljeleting (Dagsavisen)

Petition referred to in the obituary of Helge Ole Bergesen, former UiS research director

Former research director at University of Stavanger (UiS), Helge Ole Bergesen, died on June 29th. In an obituary in Stavanger Aftenblad ("Helge Ole Bergen er død" [Helge Ole Bergen is dead]), the newspaper refers to the petition for restructuring at UiS (see previous posts) that I wrote and co-initiated last autumn, which was signed by Bergesen.

Excerpt (my translation):

[...] he was among the researchers who last autumn signed the petition that demanded a restructuring at UiS, towards a research profile that points forward and takes climate change into account.

Hans Borge did not get second term as Head of Department of Petroleum Engineering

At the board meeting of University of Stavanger on March 12th, Hans Borge (see previous posts) did not get renewed trust as head of department at Department of Petroleum Engineering. In a chronicle I wrote last November, I addressed Borge´s climate change skepticism/denial and indicated that I think it harms the university´s scientific credibility.

Invited to attend meeting organised by UiS working group on sustainable energy

Today I have been invited to a meeting to be organised by the University of Stavanger´s working group on renewable/environmentally friendly/sustainable energy, on May 8th. I will take part via telephone. The working group is tasked with suggesting how University of Stavanger can strengthen its research on sustainable energy.

Stavanger Aftenblad refers to petition (again); focus on petro-power vs. renewable energy

In the news article "Studentopprør mot oljemakt i forskningen" [Student revolt against petro-power in research], published by the Norwegian regional daily Stavanger Aftenblad March 23rd, the journalist, Ingeborg Eliassen, makes reference to last autumn´s petition for restructuring at University of Stavanger, under the subheading "Forskeropprør" [Researcher revolt]. I initiated the petition, which got 23 signatures, along with Oluf Langhelle.

The newspaper highlights the petition´s point 5, which implies that University of Stavanger should "seek new collaborators to build competence on renewable energy and improve chances of external funding on this area".

23 UiS researchers sign petition calling for climate profile

I am one of the initiators of a petition which was published in the regional daily newspaper Stavanger Aftenblad yesterday, entitled (in the newspaper) "UiS må omstilles" [University of Stavanger must be restructured]. 23 researchers at UiS have signed the petition, which calls for a change from today´s emphasis on petroleum research to more research on renewable energy and climate change perspectives.