Árgeir Sörensson

*This name uses Velkanian naming customs; the last name is a patronymic, not a family name. This person should be properly referred to by the given name* Árgeir.

**Árgeir Sörensson** (born 29 September 1938) is a Velkanian politician and anthropologist who served as Minister of Environmental Affairs in the first Davíð Brynnsteinsson cabinet from 2002 until 2004. He additionally served as the founder and leader of the Green Party from 1979 until 2001, when he cofounded the Green-Socialist Party, which he also served as leader of until 2004. He was a member of the Orthing from 1984 until his retirement in 2006.

Born in Reyklíð, Árgeir attended Reyklíð Technical College, graduating with qualifications to work as a carpenter in 1958. Afterwards, Árgeir worked as a carpenter for several years, until deciding he wished to pursue a more academic path, and enrolled in a junior college program for adults, graduating in 1965. Afterwards, Árgeir enrolled in the University of Reyklíð, graduating with a degree in anthropology in 1968. He subsequently enrolled in a graduate program at the school, studying environmental anthropology, from which he received a master's degree in 1970, and a doctorate in 1976. After completing his education, Árgeir was hired as a professor of anthropology at the University of Velkania, subsequently moving to Narísandur.

In 1979, Árgeir founded the Green Party, as a means of advocating for green politics within the Velkanian Isles, in the midst of the rise of the environmentalism movement. Initially, the party was seen as a minor third party, which had no representation in parliament. The party ultimately won seats in parliament in the 1984 election, and Árgeir took his seat in the Orthing. Upon entering parliament, Árgeir focused his legislating exclusively on environmentalism, attempting to implement widespread environmental regulations within the country and shift towards renewable energy. In 2001, Árgeir led an agreement between the Green Party, Women's Party, and Socialist Party to merge and form the Green-Socialist Party, of which Árgeir was elected as its inaugural leader.

Árgeir led the Green-Socialists into the 2002 election, where they received an increased fraction of the vote, becoming the fourth-largest party in parliament. Afterwards, the party was included in a coalition agreement with the Social Democratic Party and Velkanian People's Party to form a center-left government. Árgeir was nominated by Davíð Brynnsteinsson to serve in the newly-created role of Minister of Environmental Affairs; the creation of this position was part of the Green-Socialist Party's requirements if they were to join the government. Upon becoming a cabinet minister, Árgeir focused his efforts on implementing environmental regulations and shifted the country's reliance to renewable energy sources. In May 2004, Árgeir suffered from a stroke, which left him hospitalized. Afterwards, he resigned from his positions as environment minister and party leader, and was represented by his deputy in parliament until his retirement at the end of the parliamentary term in 2006.

## Early life and education

Árgeir was born on 29 September 1938 in Reyklíð to parents Sören Aðalsteinnsson (1913–1995) and Lúsía Marbjörnsdattir (1915–2010). His father worked as a carpenter, while his mother was a seamstress. The family was working-class, and Árgeir has stated that they put much more value on work than education. He is the elder of two sons; his younger brother is Gylfi, born  (1943-07-13) 13 July 1943 (age 80).

Árgeir began his education in 1944, attending a local, public primary school. While in primary school, he was a gifted student, although his parents encouraged him to pursue a trade. He graduated from primary school in 1954, and opted to attend Reyklíð Technical College to study carpentry, despite wishing to pursue academia instead. Árgeir graduating from school with qualifications to work as a carpenter in 1958. Afterwards, he began working as a carpenter at a private home construction firm.

In 1962, Árgeir began to reconsider his career path, and opted to enroll in a junior college education plan for adults, attending night classes. He graduated with a junior college diploma in 1965, and afterwards enrolled in the Faculty of Humanities at the University of Reyklíð, graduating with a degree in anthropology in 1968. He subsequently reenrolled in the university to study a graduate program in environmental anthropology, receiving his master's degree in 1970, and a doctorate in 1976.

## Academic career

After beginning his graduate program in 1968, Árgeir became a teaching assistant ( *aðstoðproféssor*) at the University of Reyklíð, assisting professors in teaching courses in various topics within anthropology, primarily focusing on environmental anthropology. During this time, he additionally published a number of academic papers regarding his areas of focus within anthropology.

Árgeir began teaching summer courses as a doctoral student in 1972, where he taught classes on environmental anthropology and environmental studies. After completing his doctorate in 1976, Árgeir was hired as a professor in the anthropology department of the Faculty of Humanities at the University of Velkania, moving to Narísandur in order to accept the position. After beginning the professorship, he began teaching courses on environmental anthropology and environmental studies. He worked at the university until leaving in 1984, in order to enter politics.

## Political career

### Green Party and early politics

In the 1970s, Árgeir first became associated with the environmentalist movement. As an environmental anthropologist, he participated in awareness campaigns and activism, promoting environmentalist causes. In 1979, he founded the Green Party, the first political party dedicated to green politics in the Velkanian Isles. Upon its foundation, he became the party's first leader.

As leader of the Green Party, Árgeir participated in rallies promoting environmentalist causes, and lobbied politicians regarding environmental regulations. The party remained minor, not winning any seats in the Orthing or in municipal councils. Árgeir led the party into the 1984 election, where they saw their first successful election, winning representation in parliament for the first time. Upon entering parliament, Árgeir focused his legislating exclusively on environmentalism, attempting to implement widespread environmental regulations within the country and shift towards renewable energy.

Árgeir was reelected in subsequent elections, as the party began gaining more seats, but they struggled after the 1998 election, where the party lost a number of seats.

### Green-Socialist Party foundation

In early 2001, Árgeir called a meeting between himself, Svandís Hjarnardattir of the Women's Party, and Ísgeir Þór Guðmarsson of the extra-parliamentary Socialist Party. The three party leaders came to an agreement, and the parties were merged into the Green-Socialist Party, which became set to contest their first election the following year. Árgeir was then elected unopposed as the party's first leader. The Green-Socialist Party combined the three political goals for its three parent parties: green politics and environmentalism, feminism, and left-wing reform.

Árgeir later led the party into the 2002 election, where it won 18 seats and became the fourth-largest party represented in the Orthing; this was a better result than any of the three parties had previously won on their own.

### Environment minister and retirement

Following the results of the 2002 election, Árgeir was invited by Davíð Brynnsteinsson of the Social Democratic Party to a form a three-party center-left government along with the Velkanian People's Party. Coalition discussions soon began between Árgeir and Davíð, with one of Árgeir's primary requirements being the creation of a ministerial post dedicated solely to environmentalism, with Davíð ultimately agreed to.

Árgeir was later nominated to serve as the inaugural Minister of Environmental Affairs in the first Davíð Brynnsteinsson cabinet, which became the first Velkanian government to include green politicians. As environment minister, Árgeir was responsible for environmental regulations, forestry, energy policy and production, public land and parks, wildlife conservation, invasive species, and biosecurity of the Velkanian Isles. In the position, he implemented a number of left-wing environmentalist reforms, which primarily facilitated the switch to renewable energy in the Velkanian Isles, and implemented widespread environmental regulations in order to combat global warming and climate change.

On 9 May 2004, Árgeir suffered from a massive stroke while at his home. He was then rushed to the hospital, where he began his recovery. The day after the stroke, Árgeir resigned from his political offices and approved for his deputy to begin representing him in parliament. In November 2004, he confirmed that he had "no plans" to return to parliament; he later did not run for reelection in the 2006 election, retiring from politics.

## Personal life

Árgeir began a relationship with Velkanian nurse Eirún Bjarnadattir in 1963. They became engaged in 1965, and married later that year. Árgeir and Eirún have two daughters together: Dýrfinna, born  (1976-12-23) 23 December 1976 (age 47), and Ljósbjörg, born  (1978-10-10) 10 October 1978 (age 45). Árgeir resides in Hveranæyjar, and has identified himself as an atheist.

On 9 May 2004, Árgeir suffered from a massive stroke while at his home. He was then rushed to the hospital, where he began his recovery. The day after the stroke, Árgeir resigned from his political offices and approved for his deputy to begin representing him in parliament. He later began attending speech therapy and physical therapy as part of his recovery process, and confirmed that he had "no plans" to return to parliament in November 2004. In July 2006, he confirmed that he had made a "full recovery," and was spending his time being a grandfather.