Svalbard Global Seed Vault: Visitors from The U.S.A

 

Svalbard Global Seed Vault: The Ministry of Agriculture and Food will today play host to a number of American politicians, climate experts and representatives from the business community. The group includes former President Jimmy Carter, former Secretary of State Madeleine Albright, former Senator Tom Daschle, CNN boss Ted Turner and Google founder Larry Page.

Secretary General Per Harald Grue will host the group, who are visiting Svalbard on a trip organized by Lindblad Expeditions. The purpose of the trip is to raise consciousness on climate change and the need for immediate political action on behalf of the climate in the USA. On Svalbard the group have visited the Svalbard Global Seed Vault, which was opened by the Norwegian Prime Minister in February this year.

The Svalbard Global Seed Vault is a secure storage facility for seeds with the purpose of safeguarding biological diversity in agriculture, particularly plants of great value to the global food supply. The Norwegian state through the Ministry of Agriculture and Food owns the seed vault, while seeds will be deposited by gene banks from all over the world.

• More about the Svalbard Global Seed Vault

Secretary General Per Harald Grue and President Jimmy Carter.
Photo: Gunnar Thorenfeldt/Svalbardposten

Svalbard Global Seed Vault: The Ministry of Agriculture and Food will today play host to a number of American politicians, climate experts and representatives from the business community. The group includes former President Jimmy Carter, former Secretary of State Madeleine Albright, former Senator Tom Daschle, CNN boss Ted Turner and Google founder Larry Page.