Climate Diplomacy

Iceland’s Ambassador talks about the urgency to take on the challenges of climate change

By Alexis Posel, IPDGC Communications Assistant

At the 2023 Walter Roberts Annual Lecture, Iceland’s Ambassador to the U.S., Bergdís Ellertsdóttir, spoke on Iceland’s position on climate change, especially in the Arctic region.

She discussed the challenges that her country has faced advocating for climate change as the most pressing global issue. The Lecture was attended by an in-person audience at GW’s Lehman Auditorium at the Science and Engineering Hall, and live-streamed.

Photo (L-R): William and Patricia Roberts (representing the Walter Roberts Endowment), Ambassador Bergdís Ellertsdóttir, Frank Sesno, Executive Director of Planet Forward, and William Youmans, Director of IPDGC.


Titled “Climate Diplomacy: Communicating with Urgency”, the Lecture featured Ambassador Ellertsdóttir talking about Iceland’s energy development. Being one of the poorest countries in Europe, Iceland began with fossil fuels but started searching for more sustainable energy sources after World War 2. As the world’s largest green energy and electricity producer per capita, Iceland has been using renewable energy for over a century.

“We are powered by 100%. By renewable energy – geothermal and hydro. (It) made perfect economic sense, and…changed our (Icelanders) life drastically,” she said.

Ellertsdóttir noted: “But still, global warming is felt in Iceland, and we can see our glaciers melting. I can see it with my own eyes, I remember the way the glaciers looked when I first traveled. And what they are looking like now is a great difference. (Some) of them have vanished completely.”

The challenge for Iceland is to encourage these efforts on a global scale. Ellertsdóttir explained that the Icelandic government has been working to fulfill the goals of the Paris Agreement, … focusing on local municipalities, private companies, and rallying individuals in a collective effort to reduce emissions. The Icelandic Climate Action Plan calls for the country to be independent from fossil fuels by 2050, and carbon neutral before 2040. Currently, efforts are being made to cut greenhouse gases by 55% by 2030.

While she had hopes that research, innovation, and technology will help along the way, she said that governments must lead by example. In fact, current global conflicts show how important it is to focus on energy security.

In taking questions from the audience, Ellertsdóttir answered an undergraduate student, studying International Climate Policy at GW, who asked about public transportation and reducing private car use. “I’m a public transport person,” Ellertsdóttir admitted but noted “For me, it would have been a no-brainer to have like electric cars, electric buses from many, many years ago. (But) people are so attached to their cars… I mean, people get so angry if someone wants to take away the car.”

At the close of the Lecture, Ambassador Ellertsdóttir reminded all that climate action is a human rights and justice issue and needed to be inclusive – women and girls, indigenous groups, rural and urban communities all need to have a seat at the table. “We need champions for our planet”.

This Walter Roberts Endowment, event is organized by the GW Institute for Public Diplomacy and Global Communication with support from Planet Forward, an initiative to teach environmental storytelling to GW students.

Additional information by Yvonne Oh, Program Coordinator.

Communicating climate change

Iceland’s ambassador speaks at the 2023 Walter Roberts Annual Lecture

The 2023 Walter Roberts Annual Lecture will feature HE Ambassador Bergdis Ellertsdottir, Iceland’s ambassador to the U.S.

Ambassador Ellertsdottir (left) will speak on the topic of “Climate Diplomacy: Communicating with Urgency”.  In this talk, she will discuss the unique position of Iceland in global debates about climate change, particularly the Arctic region. She will discuss the communication challenges and her country’s advocacy on what scientists recognize as the most pressing global issue.

It is no surprise that Arctic affairs are a top priority for the country. Iceland lies completely within the Arctic, with the Arctic Circle passing through its northernmost community, Grimsey Island (circled), 40 kilometers off its north coast. The effects of climate change are very evident in the receding of Iceland’s glaciers and ocean acidification impacting the surrounding marine environment.

Following Amb. Ellertsdottir ‘s lecture, SMPA Professor Frank Sesno will host a conversation and moderate the Q&A session. Sesno is the Founding Director of Planet Forward, a project of the Center for Innovative Media that teaches environmental storytelling to GW students. The Institute for Public Diplomacy and Global Communication (IPDGC) and the Walter Roberts Endowment are collaborating with Planet Forward for the Annual Lecture.

Dr. William Youmans, Director of IPDGC, will deliver welcoming remarks at the start of the event.

Tuesday, December 12, 2023

Time: 6:00pm – 8:00pm ET(A light reception will be provided at 5:15pm)

Venue: Lehman Auditorium, Science  & Engineering Hall, B1220, 800 22nd Street, NW, Washington, D.C. 20052

Global journalism continues to be under attack

At IPDGC’s 2022 Walter R. Roberts Lecture, Jodie Ginsberg president of the Committee to Protect Journalists confirmed that journalists all over the world continue to work under threat of being jailed, harmed, or even killed.

Ginsberg’s presentation was on  “Defending Press Freedom: Protecting Journalists Around the World” at the George Washington University.

Ginsberg took on the leadership role in April 2022, after years of experience as a journalist and media advocate. CPJ is an independent, nonprofit organization that promotes press freedom worldwide. The organization works to defend the rights of journalists to report the news safely and without fear of reprisal.

Elliott School Dean Alyssa Ayres introduced Ginsberg while the Director of the School of Media and Public Affairs, Silvio Waisbord, moderated the discussion.

IPDGC Director William Youmans welcomed all to the event, noting that the lecture is a tribute to Walter R. Roberts for whom “media and the free flow of ideas were central to his career.”

The Walter R. Roberts Endowment seeks to inspire public diplomacy best practices around the world. Its goal is to expand the universe of public diplomacy practitioners through activities which blend theory and practice, enable dialogue among people from different backgrounds and institutions, and increase awareness of the importance of public diplomacy.

GW Today has more on the Lecture.

2022 Walter Roberts Annual Lecture on Defending Press Freedom

CPJ President Jodie Ginsberg speaks about protecting journalists around the world

This year’s annual lecture of the Walter Roberts Endowment, on Tuesday, December 6, will feature Jodie Ginsberg, president of the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ). Ginsberg took on the leadership role in April 2022, after years of experience as a journalist and media advocate. CPJ is an independent, nonprofit organization that promotes press freedom worldwide. The organization works to defend the rights of journalists to report the news safely and without fear of reprisal.

William Youmans' headshot

This year’s lecture will have Dean Alyssa Ayres of the Elliott School of International Affairs delivering introductory remarks and Silvio Waisbord, Director of the School of Media and Public Affairs moderating the Q&A session with the speaker. The Institute’s Director Dr. William Youmans will be welcoming all to the event.

The Walter Roberts Endowment seeks to inspire public diplomacy best practices around the world. Its goal is to expand the universe of public diplomacy practitioners through activities which blend theory and practice, enable dialogue among people from different backgrounds and institutions, and increase awareness of the importance of public diplomacy.

Please join us for this event:

DATE: December 6, 2022

TIME:  5:30pm Reception 

            6:30pm Lecture 

VENUE: Lehman Auditorium, Science  & Engineering Hall, B1220, 800 22nd Street, NW, Washington, D.C. 20052

C-SPAN spotlights 2021-22 Walter Roberts Lecture “Nothing is Impossible”

Retired U.S. Ambassador Ted Osius was recently featured on C-SPAN’s Book TV, talking about the reconciliation process between the U.S. and Vietnam, which began in the early 1990s.

Amb. Osius was the speaker at the 2021-22 Walter Roberts Annual Lecture last fall. His book, Nothing Is Impossible, offers a vivid account of the diplomatic work that made this reconciliation possible. He speaks to the leaders who put aside past traumas to work on creating a brighter future for the two countries.

Here is C-SPAN’s Book TV video:

“Nothing is Impossible” 2021-22 Walter Roberts Annual Lecture recording

Retired U.S. Ambassador Ted Osius shares stories about the daring diplomacy that brought the U.S. and Vietnam closer together.

The recent Walter Roberts Annual Lecture featured retired U.S. Ambassador Ted Osius speaking on the diplomatic work that helped bring about reconciliation between the U.S. and Vietnam. Amb. Osius served in Vietnam from 2014-2017.

He shares stories from his recent book, “Nothing Is Impossible” and talks about leaders from both countries who put aside past traumas to work on creating a brighter future. Amb. Osius also draws upon his own experiences of working first-hand with various Vietnamese leaders and also traveling the country on bicycle to spotlight the ordinary Vietnamese people who helped bring about their nation’s extraordinary renaissance. 

Please enjoy the recording: