EUSAIR - Final Report

12.00–13.30
THE FUTURE OF THE
ADRIATIC-IONIAN REGION
Inspirational Dialogue
• Lučka Kajfež Bogataj,
2007 Joint Recipient
of Nobel Peace Prize
• Boštjan Videmšek,
European Climate
Pact Ambassador,
author of Plan B:
How Not to Lose
Hope in the Times
of Climate Crisis
Lučka Kajfež Bogataj is the most prominent Slovene climatologist, whose
field of expertise is agro-meteorology. She is a researcher and professor
at the University of Ljubljana and played a crucial role as a member of the
Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), where she worked on
special report impacts, adaptation and vulnerability issues. The IPCC group
and former US Vice President Al Gore Jr. were awarded the Nobel Peace
Prize for their efforts to build and disseminate more knowledge about
human-induced climate change. When it comes to dealing with the modern
challenges of humanity, Ms. Kajfež Bogataj is one of the most prominent
and eloquent voices from our region. She was included in the group of
women who inspire Europe in 2012 and since then she has never stopped
impressing with her knowledge and positive energy.
Boštjan Videmšek is an award-winning and versatile Slovene journalist
and author with a wide range of interests. He made his name as a war correspondent
for the most influential Slovene daily newspaper, Delo, but his
articles soon made their way into the most prominent international media,
including The New York Times, Le Figaro, Der Spiegel, The Guardian, Forbes and
the BBC. He has published several award-winning books on 21 st century
conflicts and on the modern exodus of refugees and migrants. In his recognisable
style, he revives the dying art of the long-form feature or reportage.
In recent years, his journalistic focus has shifted to the impact of climate
change and the green energy development boom around the globe. In his
latest book, Plan B, Slovenia’s 2020 Book of the Year, Videmšek explores
the crisis of climate change by identifying ingenious, novel ways with which
people around the world have taken effective steps to address it. It is an
optimistic look at a pessimistic subject, inspired by his friend and colleague,
photographer Matjaž Krivic, another award-winning Slovene reporter with
a huge international reputation. Many see “Plan B” as an inspiration and a
reference book for a long time in the future.
56 | EUSAIR Slovene Presidency