Viking Magazine - December 2021 - 39

AMBASSADOR INSIGHTS
On Board the Statsraad Lehmkuhl
BY ANNIKEN KRUTNES
t was August in
Arendal-sunny, mild,
and a beautiful day for
sailing. All eyes were on the
magnifice t, century-old tall
ship preparing to set off f om
the harbor.
An enthusiastic group
had gathered there to wish
the crew of the Statsraad
Lehmkuhl well as they
began their 20-month
circumnavigation of the
globe. It was the fir t day of
the One Ocean Expedition-a
voyage that will, by its
completion in April 2023,
stop at 36 ports and cover
approximately 55,000 nautical miles.
This initiative takes place during
the United Nations' Decade of Ocean
Science for Sustainable Development,
which aims to extend national and
global research eff rts to achieve the
UN's sustainable development goals,
especially Goal 14 ( " Conserve and
sustainably use the oceans, seas, and
marine resources. " ) And as climate
change continues to threaten our way
of life, this task is more important
than ever.
While the oceans absorb roughly
30% of the carbon dioxide humans
produce, giving global warming
a buffe , too much CO2 causes
acidific tion, which can irreparably
harm underwater ecosystems. The
seas also absorb the vast majority of
the planet's excess heat, with similar
negative eff cts. Add that to the fact
that around 80% of marine and coastal
pollution originates on land, and we
have a problem that needs to be solved
as soon as possible-especially when
more than three billion people depend
@sonsofnorway
sea, its ecosystems, and
changes caused by human
activity will be priceless
knowledge for us all.
Soon, the Statsraad
Lehmkuhl will make its
way to the United States,
visiting Miami, New York
City, and Newport. I
encourage anyone curious
about climate change, the
oceans, or what a stateof-the-art
tall ship looks
like up close to come take
a look. We'd be thrilled to
have you on board.
If you can't get to the
East Coast this winter,
on the oceans to make a living.
As a seafaring nation, Norway has
always kept a close eye on the state of
the oceans. In 2017, our government
introduced a new strategy designed to
emphasize sustainable development in
the ocean economy. However, although
we have put many policies in place to
protect the oceans, there is still much to
learn about them and what they need
from us. That's where the Statsraad
Lehmkuhl comes in.
The 107-year-old tall ship is on
a journey with a purpose. Over the
course of its voyage, it will focus on
a number of research questions that
deal with acidific tion, CO2 levels,
biodiversity, and human impact. A
plethora of technology has been added
to the ship: sensors that can detect
water quality and CO2, scientific
echosounders, camera systems,
hydrophones, biological sampling
gear, and more. As it progresses across
the world, students will be invited to
help the crewmembers collect data.
The discoveries they make about the
I also recommend following the
Statsraad Lehmkuhl's progress online at
oneoceanexpedition.com. You'll be able
to see exactly where the ship is in real
time and read blog posts about each
location it visits.
I wish you a very happy holiday
season, and to those who celebrate,
god jul. ▼
ABOUT THE
AUTHOR
Anniken Krutnes
is Norway's
ambassador to the
United States. An
expert in security
policy, the law of the sea and Arctic issues,
she has previously served as Deputy
Director General of the Department of
Security Policy, as Norway's Ambassador
for Arctic and Antarctic Affairs, and
as ambassador to the Netherlands and
Luxembourg.
facebook.com/
NorwegianEmbassyinWashington/
@NorwayAmbUSA
December 2021
39
PHOTO: ALAN DAWSON / ALAMY STOCK PHOTO
http://www.oneoceanexpedition.com https://www.facebook.com/NorwegianEmbassyinWashington/ https://www.facebook.com/NorwegianEmbassyinWashington/
Viking Magazine - December 2021

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