Beyond Today

Why did Iceland hold a funeral for a glacier?


Listen Later

Last week around a hundred people in Iceland walked up the side of a windswept rocky mountain to attend the funeral… of a glacier. Okjokull’s death was a result of climate change, and scientists predict that within 200 years all of Iceland’s glaciers will go the same way.

So, what does the death of Okjokull mean for a country whose national identity is woven into its frozen landscape? And, why is ice melting in the subarctic a warning to the rest of the world?

We speak to the author Andri Snaer Magnusson about how you write a eulogy to a glacier, and what Okjokull’s death means to Iceland and its future. We also talk to climate scientist Ruth Mottram from the Danish Meteorological Institute about the science behind melting ice sheets and why the death of Ok should matter to us all.

Producers: Alicia Burrell and Jessica Beck

Mixed by Andy Mills
Editor: John Shields

...more
View all episodesView all episodes
Download on the App Store

Beyond TodayBy BBC Radio 4

  • 4.7
  • 4.7
  • 4.7
  • 4.7
  • 4.7

4.7

90 ratings


More shows like Beyond Today

View all
In Our Time by BBC Radio 4

In Our Time

5,389 Listeners

The Documentary Podcast by BBC World Service

The Documentary Podcast

1,839 Listeners

Global News Podcast by BBC World Service

Global News Podcast

7,894 Listeners

Economist Podcasts by The Economist

Economist Podcasts

4,275 Listeners

6 Minute English by BBC Radio

6 Minute English

1,791 Listeners

Learning English Conversations by BBC Radio

Learning English Conversations

1,046 Listeners

Friday Night Comedy from BBC Radio 4 by BBC Radio 4

Friday Night Comedy from BBC Radio 4

2,141 Listeners

More or Less: Behind the Stats by BBC Radio 4

More or Less: Behind the Stats

898 Listeners

The Infinite Monkey Cage by BBC Radio 4

The Infinite Monkey Cage

1,925 Listeners

Newshour by BBC World Service

Newshour

1,080 Listeners

Like Minded Friends with Tom Allen & Suzi Ruffell by Keep It Light Media

Like Minded Friends with Tom Allen & Suzi Ruffell

136 Listeners

The Daily by The New York Times

The Daily

111,761 Listeners

Newscast by BBC News

Newscast

673 Listeners

The Diary Of A CEO with Steven Bartlett by DOAC

The Diary Of A CEO with Steven Bartlett

7,001 Listeners

13 Minutes Presents: The Space Shuttle by BBC World Service

13 Minutes Presents: The Space Shuttle

4,108 Listeners

Americast by BBC News

Americast

740 Listeners

You're Dead to Me by BBC Radio 4

You're Dead to Me

2,964 Listeners

Honestly with Bari Weiss by The Free Press

Honestly with Bari Weiss

8,695 Listeners

The Rest Is Politics by Goalhanger

The Rest Is Politics

3,271 Listeners

The News Agents by Global

The News Agents

981 Listeners

The Rest Is Politics: Leading by Goalhanger

The Rest Is Politics: Leading

987 Listeners

The Economics of Everyday Things by Freakonomics Network & Zachary Crockett

The Economics of Everyday Things

1,606 Listeners

The Rest Is Entertainment by Goalhanger

The Rest Is Entertainment

812 Listeners

The Rest Is Politics: US by Goalhanger

The Rest Is Politics: US

2,285 Listeners