Last week everybody was talking about Obama. Did he deserve it or not? How important 'good intentions' are?

It provoked me to see who were the laureates of Nobel peace award in the past. Because, let's face it - besides Al Gore, Yasser Arafat, Mother Teresa and Wangari Maathai I do not remember much of the winners.

Nobel Price Peace winner - first ones that came on my mind ...

But you live you learn as Alanis says⁽¹⁾

Nobel price award for peace has it's start in 1901. That year the prize was divided equally between: Jean Henri Dunant (Switzerland) - Founder of the International Committee of the Red Cross, Geneva; Initiator of the Geneva Convention (Convention de Geneve) and Frédéric Passy, (France) - Founder and President of the first French peace society.

OK, but this is a blog about climate change not politics. "Why you are writing this in a pro-green blog about climate change." one would ask.

Maybe because I found a possible interesting trend.

In his will Alfred Nobel stated that the Peace Prize should be awarded to the person who: during the preceding year [...] shall have done the most or the best work for fraternity between nations, for the abolition or reduction of standing armies and for the holding and promotion of peace congresses.⁽²⁾ So, in the beginning Nobel price was given literally for peace keeping efforts, for solving crises, finding solutions in war affected areas. But than human suffering during war time shifted little bit the direction of original will. Laureates from the field of human right entered the picture quite early. After that the definition of 'Nobel peace' was expanded to human rights, fight for refugees, fight against hunger, female right activism....⁽³⁾

Should all that come all under the peace section? Would Nobel be happy with this shifting of his will... I do not know... The definition of peace for me was absence of war, no conflict... Than I checked in the Internet the Princeton definition ⁽⁴⁾ which was more or less like mine, wiki expanded the concept but it stayed more or less the same (well... if it is in wiki than it must be true )) ) ⁽⁵⁾.

Well... I guess you can squeeze women, kids, refugees in this category as a consequence of war or some as potential conflict makers.

But than Wangari Maathai ⁽⁶⁾ in 2004 got Nobel Peace Prize for her contribution to sustainable development, democracy and peace. Environment entered the picture. It already knocked on the door with 1949 win of Lord John-Boyd Orr of Brechin and his background in FAO ⁽⁷⁾ , but with the win of Ms. Wangari Maathai doors were wide open for the expanded 'version of peace'. Although some can argue that she also was fighting for poor African countries so there is a certain reason why you can squeeze her goal in the initial Peace award definition.But than comes 2007 and the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) and Albert Arnold (Al) Gore Jr.⁽⁸⁾ ... I would dare to say that initially Climate change would not go under peace in it sharp definition. But than if you dig into scenario of fights over water and fertile lands it fits there too. Yes I know climate change skeptics, it does include verbs and nouns: if, then, may, would, possible... No offense Mr. Gore

In the end I think we can all conclude that the Norwegian Nobel Committee moved from direct course: from direct wars and crises to human rights, minority rights and gender equality; from gender equality to environment protection, sustainable development and climate change. For them the definition of peace expanded through the years, shifted to areas that were probably not realistic in the beginning of 20th century.

Nobel Peace Prize ceremony in 2008

But, that should be be good, hah?

Sure, it gives credit (and some money ) to the people that did smth important to the human society.

But you know I would love that it did not switch so much...

You see, this year we had again strengthened international diplomacy and cooperation between peoples ⁽⁹⁾ and? The old problems were not solved and new ones are already there.

 Do I sound silly when I say: 'where are the good old times when we just had war...'