Navalny, WHO, Thunberg among Nobel nominees

Russian dissident Alexei Navalny, the World Health Organization, and climate campaigner Greta Thunberg are among those nominated for this year's Nobel Peace Prize.

They are all backed by Norwegian lawmakers who have a track record of picking the winner.

Thunberg was named as one of "the foremost spokespeople in the fight against the climate crisis."

Navalny was nominated by Russian academics and noted for his democratic efforts in the country.

The battle against COVID-19 is also front and center, with a nomination for the WHO and the GAVI vaccine alliance.

Henrik Urdal is the Director of the Peace Research Institute Oslo.

"I mean, if the (Nobel) committee would want to award a prize for global collaboration to fight sort of a major global threat (ed note: climate change) I wouldn't have a problem with it but then in my view that would perhaps extend the domain of the prize well beyond what I think is the, at least the commonly accepted, right now."

Thousands of people, from members of parliaments worldwide to former winners, are eligible to propose candidates.

And other nominees include former U.S. President Donald Trump, NATO, and the U.N. refugee agency (UNHCR).

The Norwegian Nobel Committee decides who wins the award and does not comment on nominations, which close on Sunday (January 31).

The 2021 laureate will be announced in October.