August 19, 2019

Andrew Campbell 

Due to climate change, the Okjökull glacier, now called Ok, which ever spread 15 square miles before 2014, has melted into a crater lake. On August 18, around one hundred people gathered at the “watery grave” of Ok, holding a funeral ceremony for it. In parkas and ski hats, they hiked for two hours to the site. Among the joined officials and researchers were Katrin Jakobsdottir, the prime minister of Iceland, Mary Robinson, the former president of Ireland, the former UN human rights commissioner, or climate activist, and Cymene Howe, associate professor of anthropology at Rice University in Texas. 

In the service, on a bare rock they set a bronze plaque, in which “A letter to the future” was inscribed in English and Icelandic. It mainly wanted to show people’s regret for the disappearance of Ok and determination to do something for the decline of glaciers and the drastic climate change. They also brought protest signs to tell people the importance of taking action against the climate crisis. Besides, the heroic actions of Greta Thunberg were mentioned as inspiration.
Mary Robinson said, "The symbolic death of a glacier is a warning to us, and we need action." 
In Howe’s opinion, a monument to a lost glacier can fully grasp people’s attention and provoke feelings.

Julien Weiss, an aerodynamics professor at the University of Berlin, joined the Sunday ceremony with his wife and seven-year-old daughter, who held a big sign “PULL THE EMERGERNCY BRAKE”. Moved at the sight, professor Weiss pointed out one cannot feel the daily climate change but he can understand the disappearing glacier after seeing it.
Ms. Jakobsdottir regarded this local tribute as a global story. She felt sorry for the ice’s leaving Iceland but called for people all around the world to cut emissions and avoid dangerous tipping points. Showing her commitment to the international collaboration, she tried hard to form proposals in the Arctic Council to prevent rapid changes in the Arctic. She also suggested fighting for climate justice meanwhile, including human rights, social justice and gender equality. She said her government is carrying out Iceland’s first fully funded action plan, hoping for carbon neutrality by 2040. Besides decarbonizing energy production, Iceland plans to ban the car registration if it is not powered by nonrenewables after 2030.   

Photo:Webshot.