“Acceptance Speech” Frontiers of Knowledge Award 2022 in Climate Change

Acceptance speech by Ellen Mosley-Thompson, winner of the 2022 Frontiers of Knowledge Award in Climate Change, who was honored alongside Lonnie Thompson for their contributions to understanding Earth’s climate history through the study of ice cores from polar regions and high mountain glaciers. Their research has made it possible to reconstruct past climate conditions and document the acceleration of global warming and the retreat of ice masses.

Mosley-Thompson warns of the consequences of melting ice for sea-level rise, water availability, agriculture and social stability. She recalls the beginning of her career in polar research and the development, alongside Lonnie Thompson, of a scientific program dedicated to reconstructing Earth’s climate history. She also emphasizes the importance of training new generations of scientists, strengthening public communication of science and promoting renewable energy to address climate change through mitigation and adaptation measures.