Nobel Peace Prize for Climate Change

Al Gore and the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change were just awarded the Nobel Peace Prize. I think this is one of the first Nobel Peace Prizes awarded for an area that is dominated by physical geography. Wangari Muta Maathai won in 2004 for her work in sustainable development, which is the other prize focusing on physical geographic issues. I find it interesting the Nobel people are turning more and more to areas beyond human conflict when recognizing impacts on world peace. The Nobel Institute gives out several prizes in a range of disciplines, but I think the peace prize is the most recognized. It’s also the only slot in which geography fits nicely (although you can make a strong case for Economics). Hopefully this prize might help raise geographic awareness around the world.