Gunnar S. Eskeland Received the Climate Professorship

Friday, Gunnar S. Eskeland, was presented as the new climate professor at the environment conference at NHH. The position is financed by Sparebanken Vest whose public service includes a wide commitment to environmental and climate economy at NHH.

16.05.2008 - Kristin Risvand Mo (translated by Jessica Hartenberger)

"We are very happy to have Gunnar S. Eskeland as an addition to NHH. He has professional orientation and international knowledge that will strengthen professional climate research and lectures immensely," says NHH's rector, Jan I. Haaland.

"I am looking forward to this job. Economics is an important academic area when it comes to climate. Economics is about managing resources, and the climate problem is first and foremost a management challenge. We must collaborate across borders and across generations to function better," says Eskeland.

Local but International

The western area of the country is perhaps the region most hurt by climate changes in Norway. One important research area is how Norwegian businesses and local groups are affected by and can adapt to the climate and environmental changes. These changes can also create new business opportunities and develop innovative products and services. Knowledge about this is valuable from a global perspective, explains Jan I. Haaland.

"Gunnar S. Eskeland has worked a great deal with international themes attached to economic politics and sustainable development, for instance he coauthored the World Development Report 2003 from the World Bank. His other interest areas are technology development and climate politics, and political questions connected to the collaboration between nations. These are themes of national and international character which will be important research fields in the times to come," says Haaland.

"I am pleased to have the opportunity to become involved with showing that economic perspectives and methods are useful, whether looking at the global climate or the tourist experiences of the environment at The Fish Market," says Eskeland.

More Climate in Education

With this newly developed position in climate economics, NHH wants to increase awareness surrounding climate questions and the economical consequences of climate change.

"Knowledge about climate and the environment is also increasingly becoming important in the education of future civil economists. For example, we will begin a new international master profile in Engergy, Resources and Environmental Economics this upcoming fall," says Haaland.

Bergen already has a well-known and international academic environment within climate research with The Bjerknes/Nansens Center, the University of Bergen, and The Ocean Research Institute. Now climate research is further strengthened.

"Collaboration across academic environments should be further developed. We have a lot to learn from one another," says Haaland.

Eskeland is coming from a position as senior researcher at CICERO (Centre for International Climate and Environmental Research, Oslo). He is a civil economist with a doctorate degree from NHH. Eskeland has had additional work experience from the World Bank, SNF, Klosters, and Statoil.