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Some good news for mountains

When it comes to exploring the limits of human endurance, it would be hard to outdo Kilian Jornet. A groundbreaking mountain athlete, he excels in trail running, ski mountaineering, and summiting, among other sports. Throughout his career, he has set numerous speed records up mountains.

In 2013, Jornet embarked on a personal, five-year project he called “Summits of My Life”, in which he ran up and down some of the most iconic mountains on Earth in the fastest known time. That quest included the legendary feat of summiting Mount Everest twice in one week without oxygen.

It’s fair to say that Jornet is one of the most famous mountain sports persons in the world.

And now he wants to give something back to mountains.

Kilian Jornet. Photo: Matti Bernitz, 2019.
Kilian Jornet. Photo: Matti Bernitz, 2019.

Last week he launched the Kilian Jornet Foundation, dedicated to the preservation of mountain environments. The foundation will focus on three areas:

–      direct action to solve environmental problems in mountains

–      education and awareness raising about the importance of mountain environments

–      research into the effects of climate change on mountain areas

Tromsø montains. Photo: KJ Foundation.
Tromsø montains. Photo: KJ Foundation.

We at GRID-Arendal are delighted to see this foundation up and running. We’ve been helping in the lead-up to its launch by sharing facts about waste and climate issues in mountains, making connections to other mountain organizations, and providing project ideas.

GRID-Arendal and the Kilian Jornet Foundation look forward to collaborating more closely in the future. Areas of cooperation could include tackling waste problems in mountains and researching the impacts of glacial melt across mountain regions.

To Jornet and his new foundation, we congratulate you and wish you many happy and impactful years ahead!

GRID-Arendal's Björn Alfthan in Lofoten.
GRID-Arendal's Björn Alfthan in Lofoten.
GRID-Arendal's Tina Schoolmeester in Hovden, Setesdal.
GRID-Arendal's Tina Schoolmeester in Hovden, Setesdal.
GRID-Arendal's Tina Schoolmeester in Møre og Romsdal.
GRID-Arendal's Tina Schoolmeester in Møre og Romsdal.

Mountains play an important part in the lives of GRID-Arendal staff too. Here are Polar and Climate team staffers and their family members enjoying the beautiful mountains of Norway!