Formal nomination of the People of Costa Rica for the 2022 Nobel Peace Prize

As we face a perilous nature crisis, the People of Costa Rica head a global initiative to protect 30% of earth to preserve peace and environment for future generations, while also leading by example. (Formal nomination of the People of Costa Rica for the 2022 Nobel Peace Prize by Dag Øistein Endsjø, Professor in the Study of Religion at the University of Oslo)
As I as a Professor in the Study of Religion at the University of Oslo have the right to nominate for the Nobel Peace Prize, I have just formally nominated the People of Costa Rica for this year’s Peace Prize for the following reasons:

“Peace on earth depends on our ability to secure our living environment,” as the Nobel Committee pointed out when awarding the 2004 prize to Wangari Maathai. As the nature crisis already exacerbates the climate crisis, threatens food and water security, opens up for lethal pandemics and generates social instability, securing healthy ecosystems and biodiversity today is crucial for the future preservation of peace and fraternity of nations in accordance with the will of Alfred Nobel.

Through its democratic system, the People of Costa Rica have taken the international lead to mend the nature crisis, initiating and co-heading the High Ambition Coalition for Nature and People (HAC), where more than 70 countries have committed to protect at least 30% of land and ocean by 2030.

By already preserving 26% of its land territory and 30% of its oceans, the People of Costa Rica also lead by example and demonstrate how a global initiative must be reflected in action on national and local level. This includes a massive reversal of deforestation, a groundbreaking legal protection of biodiversity, a programme of subsidizing environmental services (PSA) and an achievable plan of complete decarbonization by 2050, all in a manner that simultaneously promotes sustainable social and economic development.

The People of Costa Rica have evolved its 73 years old national peace policy of no military, into a global and national effort to protect ecosystems and biodiversity, which may prevent future conflicts arising from further destruction of nature and subsequent depletion of resources. In this way, they demonstrate how even a small people, when focusing their efforts within the international community, may be a most powerful force for peace and fraternity.

Recognizing the effort to preserve peace through safeguarding life in all its diversity, a prize to the People of Costa Rica would be particularly in the spirit of the 1952 prize to Albert Schweitzer for his “reverence for life”.