The climate festival “Varmere Våtere Villere" in pictures

There were many Bjerknes researchers in action during the climate festival. Here are some highlights from three days in Bergen.

Publisert 19. March 2026

Written by Tori Pedersen

Event on tipping points during the climate festival. From left: Gudrun Sylte, Even Moland, Inge Althuizen and Suzette Flantua. Photo: Øystein Haara

For the fifth year in a row, the climate festival was held in Bergen.

At Warmer Wetter Wilder, you can experience lectures, conversations, debates, concerts, and art exhibitions.

From 12–15 March, the area around the Bergen Literature House and Skostredet was buzzing with people. The Bjerknes Centre had many researchers in action.

At the children’s climate Q&A session, sixth‑grade pupils got to ask Norway’s Minister of Climate and Environment, Andreas Bjelland Eriksen, Bergen’s City Councillor for Urban Development, Eivind Nævdal‑Bolstad, and our director, Kikki Kleiven, about climate, the environment, and politics. Photo: Tori Pedersen

Inge Althuizen from NORCE and the Bjerknes Centre talks about tipping points, and the slow, gradual changes in ecosystems caused by climate change that can suddenly reach critical thresholds. Photo: Øystein Haara

Elin Darelius from the University of Bergen and the Bjerknes Centre took part in a panel discussion on trust in research, organised by CICERO. Photo: Øystein Haara

Do we trust science? Photo: Øystein Haara

NORCE and Bjerknes researcher Marie Pontoppidan spoke to upper secondary school students about the latest *Climate in Norway* report. Photo: Gudrun Sylte

Director Kikki Kleiven had the honour of presenting the Warmer Wetter Wilder Award to Gina Gylver, one of the initiators of the Green Student Movement. Vigdis Vandvik took part in three events: The IPCC in 1-2-3, Climate Myth-Busters, and the launch of the Climate Council’s 2026 report. Inge Althuizen and Suzette Flantua both participated in the tipping‑points session.

Elin Darelius joined the panel discussing trust in science, organised by CICERO. And Rebekka Frøystad spoke about our disappearing glaciers — a memorial of sorts for the glaciers, accompanied by music and images from the ice.

Vigdis Vandvik at stage. Photo: Øystein Haara

On the upper‑secondary school day, PhD candidate Martine Røysted Solås showed a shark tooth and a mesopelagic fish that has been preserved in alcohol since 2019. Photo: Gudrun Sylte

Øyvind Paasche spoke on behalf of Climate Futures together with Tryg about what extreme weather events such as Hans and Amy actually cost society. Photo: Øystein Haara

Bjerknes Director Kikki Kleiven during the session on climate change and security policy. Photo: Øystein Haara

Marius Årthun giving a scientific introduction before the panel discussion. Photo: Øystein Haara

The panel. From left: Kikki Kleiven, Tor Ivar Strømmen, Maria Varteressian and Tore Furevik. Photo: Øystein Haara

On Friday evening, the topic was climate change and security policy. We were given an update on the geopolitical situation in the North, as well as the current state of sea‑ice conditions and the changes taking place in the Arctic, both above and below the surface. There were scientific presentations by Marius Årthun (University of Bergen and the Bjerknes Centre) and Hanne Sagen (the Nansen Center). This was followed by a panel discussion featuring Tore Furevik (the Nansen Center), Tor Ivar Strømmen (the Royal Norwegian Naval Academy), and Maria Varteressian (EU and Arctic policy expert), moderated by Kikki Kleiven (the Bjerknes Centre).

On Saturday, Jostein Bakke from the University of Bergen and the Bjerknes Centre took part in the Children’s Climate Festival, where he brought the kids back to the Ice Age — and forward again — to explore a world of ice, rocks, and dramatic landscapes.

Thank you for a great festival — mark your calendars for 10–13 March next year!