10/12/2007
Nobel Peace Prize Awarded to Al Gore and UN Climate Change Panel
As many had predicted, former Vice President Al Gore and the UN Climate Change Panel have been awarded this year's Nobel Prize for Peace. Gore and the IPCC were chosen from a field of 181 candidates, the Guardian reports.
Said the committee: "He is probably the single individual who has done most to create greater worldwide understanding of the measures that need to be adopted...Thousands of scientists and officials from over 100 countries have collaborated to achieve greater certainty as to the scale of the warming. Whereas in the 1980s global warming seemed to be merely an interesting hypothesis, the 1990s produced firmer evidence in its support. Action is necessary now, before climate change moves beyond man's control."
According to the BBC, "[the committee] wanted to bring the 'increased danger of violent conflicts and wars, within and between states' posed by climate change into sharper focus. [It] highlighted the series of scientific reports issued over the last two decades by the IPCC, which comprises more than 2,000 leading climate change scientists. The reports had "created an ever-broader informed consensus about the connection between human activities and global warming."
Said Gore: "I am deeply honoured to receive the Nobel peace prize. This award is even more meaningful because I have the honour of sharing it with the IPCC - the world's pre-eminent scientific body devoted to improving our understanding of the climate crisis - a group whose members have worked tirelessly and selflessly for many years."
The White House response to the announcement? "Of course we're happy for Vice President Gore and the IPCC for receiving this recognition."
It must make them pleased that something good came out of their stealing the election from him.
Now, of course, the big question that remains is will this significant honor push Gore to make a second run for the nation's top job?
Posted 7:08 AM EST by Andy Towle in Al Gore, Global Warming, News | Permalink
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If I may, the big question is *not* about the Gore's run for the presidency. The big question is: will humans worldwide really start to work against global warming and for more environmentally responsible behavior?
Posted by: Nick | Oct 12, 2007 7:57:26 AM
yes!!!!!!!!! for al gore.
al for president!
Posted by: nic | Oct 12, 2007 8:04:42 AM
Congratulations Mr. President!
Well deserved!
Now, will you reconsider running for and WINNING the Presidency AGAIN?
Here are a few campaign slogans you might want to consider:
I Hate to Say I Told You So, BUT...
Well, How Do You Like Me NOW?
Re-elect Gore in 2008! Lieberman? Not so much!
Posted by: Zeke | Oct 12, 2007 8:06:03 AM
Zeke
I must concur. "DITTO" on everything you said.
President Gore did win the popular vote, and if Fl repubs had not disenfranchised a ton of African American votes, and scalia and crowd hadn't annointed the retarded boy king georgey.......OY
The sad thing is the Justice O'cconer has now admitted that it was the wrong ruling. OY VEY 2 times.
Gore supported hate crime legislation when in office. He did serve under clinton's DOMA policy, but since then March 25th gave a transcendent speech at HRC that hinted at an evolution of his stance on marriage that civil equality is necessary, inevitable and the right thing to do
Posted by: jimmyboyo | Oct 12, 2007 8:17:02 AM
President Gore is our true president. We all know how the election was stolen from him. He is a hero and well deserves the prize. Bravo, President Gore.
Posted by: the queen | Oct 12, 2007 8:18:42 AM
GORE 08! GORE 08!
Though I doubt he would announce any candidacy. This country is too fragmented; too much visceral hatred brewing in society that either you are completely for something ro completely against something. You're not allowed to be neutral or have less than absolute opinion about any topic. Think about whom ever has to step into this mess as the countries leadership? If you accept gays then your for gays and suddenly you have all the Christian Reich and their very affluent and vocal lobby breathing down your neck. If you believe it's a womans right to choose, then you're anti-abortion and you ahve the Christian Reich and their very affluent and vocal lobby breathing down your neck. If you think that there should be tighter checks and balances in automatic assault weapons, then you have the NRA and Christian Reich and their very affluent and vocal lobby breathing down your neck. If you believe in separation of Church and State... well, you all know where this is going to go...
I would certainly donate to a GORE 08! campaign. We need a stateman to bring civility and honor back to our government.
Posted by: Rad | Oct 12, 2007 8:21:00 AM
I meant pro-abortion... sorry. The coffee has not yet kicked in.
And Andy, thanks for making the the comments posting confirmation block easier to read.
Rade
Posted by: Rad | Oct 12, 2007 8:23:02 AM
Al was the heir apparent to Bill. He was robbed by the right-leaning supreme court --a judicial coup d'etat.
perhaps if he were to be REelected as prez, all things would be in order. it is clear, after all, that the shrub-chainy administration was an anomoly, an aberration.
his elevation to the presidancy would be poetic justice -- an idication that god's in his heaven and all's right with the world.
the saintly jimmy carter (and fellow peace prize winner) just gave Al his impramatur on the today show.
Posted by: nic | Oct 12, 2007 9:07:55 AM
Bravo Mr. Gore !!!
However, the ultimate inconvenient truth remains...
the largest threat to ozone and highest contributor to greenhouse gases is cattle production. why did the Oscar winning movie ignore this major fact.. where's the beef?
Could it be that Mr. Gore did not raise the methane stink to avoid a slaughter with America's fast food industry, meat processors, and cattle farmers.
I adore Mr. Gore, and I am indeed a carnivorous protein addict... but this glaring omission to An Inconvenient Truth leaves me slightly disappointed in the Nobel hero.
Posted by: A.J | Oct 12, 2007 9:15:26 AM
I'm not sure that Al Gore's talents would be best utilized in the context of the presidency. Look at Jimmy Carter... his was a troubled presidency, but once he was outside of the political mudbath he emerged as one of the most important and respected voices for peace and equality in the world. Al Gore doesn't need to wallow in the muck of politics to be a force for change in our country. He already is. All we need is a president and a congress (and more importantly an electorate) who will listen and take action.
Posted by: Brian | Oct 12, 2007 9:48:00 AM
aj
canadian cattle and pig farmers (why is it always somebody else before the supposed leader USA) are setting up biodigetsres to handle their animal waste, harvest methane, produce heat and electricity
A biodigester is an overglorified sealed trach can, poop goes in, a tube out of the top collects the resultant methane gas, time and anarobic (vs aerobic) bacteria digest the poop and produce methane while breaking down toxins, heavy metals, etc far faster than in the open and far faster then human chemicals.
The methane is stored and burned off to fire steam engines to produce energy. some canadian farms produce all their own electricity on the premises from the poop of their cattle and or pigs.
The greatest untapped market is USA toilets!!! LOL instead of dumping our sludge into rivers and oceans we should set up biodigetsres and utilize it to power both coasts completly. Methan from poop is what you pay the gas company to dig up from the ground and pump to your house. It is just Dinosaur poop gas
A great book on this entire subject is called "The Humanure Handbook" I kid you not
Posted by: jimmyboyo | Oct 12, 2007 9:48:25 AM
PS
The resultant slurry after the anarobic bacteria break down the toxins, poathogens, and heavy metals....can and is then used as compost on grass and or flower beds. Direct use on food crops is not recomended (though this is more for public relations reasons ) unles only animal feces goes into the biodigester.
Posted by: jimmyboyo | Oct 12, 2007 9:50:26 AM
Jimmy:
No Shit?
They use human sewage as fertilizer in China. Just throw it directly on the crops. So yeah, after deconstructing human waste, I'll bet the only reason to keep it off food is for PR. Also, cows are HUGE producers of methane. Maybe they should all carry around balloons.
Any controversy on Al Gore winning a Nobel Prize? This board is a little tangential and leaning towards BS. Jokes.
I remember my conservative bitch drop-out nun fifth grade teacher ask, "what did he EVER do as a vice president?" to which I said, "saved the whales and legislated better air quality."
Posted by: justincredible | Oct 12, 2007 10:56:12 AM
Manbearpig!
Posted by: Tad | Oct 12, 2007 11:21:01 AM
This was such great news to wake up to! Congratulations, Al Gore!
Posted by: Becks07 | Oct 12, 2007 11:26:52 AM
Makes the eyes tear up a bit. Al Gore truly deserves this prize. I hope whatever he does re: the presidency, he continues to mobilize nations into action about climate change. I know that he completely inspired me to change my way of living through energy conservation, recycling every little single thing, etc.
CONGRATS AL!!
Posted by: J'ason D'luv | Oct 12, 2007 11:37:27 AM
This comes as a bit of a shock. This sounds more like Time magazine's Man of the Year than the Peace Prize. They ignored his efforts to prevent the Iraq War (hello!) for example. Maybe they should call it the Humanitarian Award.
Posted by: anon (gmail.com) | Oct 12, 2007 11:40:21 AM
Of course Al would have been president IF he had won his home state.
Posted by: James | Oct 12, 2007 11:44:34 AM
Al Gore is talking through both sides of his mouth. Snopes did some research on an e-mail that was being tossed around and found that it was true. Al Gore is a liar.
http://www.snopes.com/politics/business/gorehome.asp
"The average household in America consumes 10,656 kilowatt-hours (kWh) per year, according to the Department of Energy. Gore devoured nearly 221,000 kWh - more than 20 times the national average.
Las August alone, Gore burned through 22,619 kWh - guzzling more than twice the electricity in one month than an average family uses in an entire year."
That man is a liar, people.
Posted by: paula | Oct 12, 2007 12:03:02 PM
Al Gore is talking through both sides of his mouth. Snopes did some research on an e-mail that was being tossed around and found that it was true. Al Gore is a liar.
http://www.snopes.com/politics/business/gorehome.asp
"The average household in America consumes 10,656 kilowatt-hours (kWh) per year, according to the Department of Energy. Gore devoured nearly 221,000 kWh - more than 20 times the national average.
Las August alone, Gore burned through 22,619 kWh - guzzling more than twice the electricity in one month than an average family uses in an entire year."
That man is a liar, people.
Posted by: paula | Oct 12, 2007 12:04:01 PM
Al Gore is talking through both sides of his mouth. Snopes did some research on an e-mail that was being tossed around and found that it was true. Al Gore is a liar.
http://www.snopes.com/politics/business/gorehome.asp
"The average household in America consumes 10,656 kilowatt-hours (kWh) per year, according to the Department of Energy. Gore devoured nearly 221,000 kWh - more than 20 times the national average.
Las August alone, Gore burned through 22,619 kWh - guzzling more than twice the electricity in one month than an average family uses in an entire year."
That man is a liar, people.
Posted by: paula | Oct 12, 2007 12:04:22 PM
Congratulations, Mr. President.
I had the opportunity to meet him in the Dulles Airport early one morning while traveling to California (he was on his way to Colorado). I didn't say much because my brain doesn't wake up before 10 AM no matter when my body arises, but he impressed me as a charming, intelligent and gracious.
Although I would love Gore to run, I can't actually wish the presidency on him. I don't think he would have been anything other than an enforcer of gridlock had he taken office when he was elected (which might have been a good thing in its own right). Our republican form of government is a blessing and curse.
I think that both Gore and Carter have found that true public service cannot be conducted from the Oval Office at least under the current political circumstances.
Posted by: Steve | Oct 12, 2007 12:11:36 PM
You go,Gore!!
Posted by: Shabaka | Oct 12, 2007 12:14:01 PM
There used to be a time when candidates would enter the race after the primaries had begun, but now, you have to start so early amass the amount of money needed to run. I've been trying my damndest to have faith in Mrs Clinton and Mr Obama. It aint worked. For a while, I thought I was suffering from some kind of "plantation mentality" that I would prefer Gore over Obama--you know, "Massa's son done come ridin' on his white horse to save da day!"; but, no, it's a matter of maturity, experience, independence, and ELECTABILITY. Al Gore has never been a favorite of the Clintons' Centrist Klan--even though back in the 1980s he was one of the original faces of the "New Southern Centrist Democrats"...I think? Leland will correct me if I'm wrong...and I don't mind that.
Posted by: Derrick from PHilly | Oct 12, 2007 12:34:51 PM
PAULA, thanks for sharing the official Drudge/Malkin/Coulter/GOP/Exxon bogus talking point with us.
We sometimes get a bit serious here. It's really nice when people like you drop by to give us a good belly laugh!
Now tell us the ones about "weapons of mass destruction" or "bringing ethics and morality back to Washington D.C." again!
I'll put down my sweet tea so as to not project it through my nose when you get to the punch line! You guys have already cost me one laptop by catching me off guard.
OK, I'm ready....GO!
Posted by: Zeke | Oct 12, 2007 1:46:10 PM