The years without a winner of the Lasse Wiklöf Award are now over
It has been three years since the Baltic Sea Foundation last presented its award for political commitment to the Baltic Sea. Now, that gap comes to an end. Swedish Member of Parliament Emma Nohrén receives the Lasse Wiklöf Award for her long-standing work for the marine environment and her ability to build political consensus across party lines.
– Our award is open to parliamentarians from all countries around the Baltic Sea as well as Members of the European Parliament. The fact that, despite this, we have not found a recipient who meets the criteria for the past three years is concerning. The Baltic Sea needs more politicians who are prepared to champion marine issues over the long term, even when other issues compete for political attention. This makes it particularly rewarding to recognise Emma Nohrén this year for her clear political leadership on marine issues, says Sara Arons, Managing Director of the Baltic Sea Foundation.
Emma Nohrén is a marine biologist who has brought her scientific knowledge into politics. A hallmark of her work has been her ability to make complex marine issues accessible and to use knowledge to build engagement across party lines. She is even said to be the only Swedish MP to have spoken about sea cucumbers from the floor of the Swedish Parliament.
As Chair of the Swedish Cross-Party Committee on Environmental Objectives in its work on marine issues, Nohrén led the development of the report The Sea and the People, which contained more than one hundred proposals for improving the marine environment. Among other things, the work resulted in a proposal for a Swedish Marine Environment Act and succeeded in gaining the support of all parties in the Swedish Parliament. This work subsequently helped inspire the European Ocean Act, which is expected to be adopted by the EU in the near future.
Nohrén has also worked on marine issues internationally. She has represented Sweden at several UN Ocean Conferences, served as a member of the European Committee of the Regions and is a member of the Swedish Parliament’s delegation to the Baltic Sea Parliamentary Conference. In the Swedish Parliament, she has repeatedly raised issues including fish stocks, overfishing and the protection of the Baltic Sea.
– Emma combines knowledge with an ability to inspire others to understand and engage. Rather than using the marine environment as an issue for political positioning, she has worked to bring people together around common goals. This is exactly the kind of political leadership the Baltic Sea needs, says Sara Arons.
The Lasse Wiklöf Award will be presented at the Baltic Sea Foundation’s annual award ceremony, Baltic Sea Awards, on 2 October in Mariehamn, Åland.
Award motivation
Emma Nohrén (Sweden) receives the award for her ambitious political work for healthy seas and the Baltic Sea. With her background as a marine biologist, she combines scientific expertise with political action and has made marine issues understandable and relevant to a wider audience. Through inclusive and educational leadership, she has built broad political support across party lines on complex issues, not least through her work on Sweden’s marine strategy and the proposal for a Marine Environment Act. Her efforts extend from national politics to the international arena, where she has consistently highlighted the challenges facing the Baltic Sea. Through generosity, objectivity and persistence, Emma Nohrén has helped advance stronger protection for our seas.
About the Lasse Wiklöf Award
The Lasse Wiklöf Award was established in memory of Åland politician Lasse Wiklöf and recognises politicians who have demonstrated significant commitment to the environment of the Baltic Sea. The award can be presented to current or former parliamentarians from any of the Baltic Sea countries, as well as Members of the European Parliament.
Contact
Emma Nohrén can be reached through Press Secretary Ellen Månsson: +46 76 531 06 65, ellen.mansson@mp.se
Sara Arons, Managing Director, Baltic Sea Foundation: +358 457 345 9889, sara.arons@ostersjofonden.org
Material
Press photos of Emma Nohrén
Film about Emma Nohrén (English subtitles available)
Previous award recipients