Al Gore on environment and ‘Inconvenient Sequel’

By JOHN CARUCCI

Associated Press

NEW YORK

Al Gore admits he was frustrated upon hearing the news last month that President Trump was pulling out of the Paris Climate Accord, but since then, he’s become more optimistic.

Gore worried that a U.S. withdrawal from the treaty would compel other nations to opt out of the historical pact for adopting clean energy solutions. But that’s not what happened.

“The whole rest of the world has redoubled their commitment. And in this country, the governors and the mayors and the business leaders have all said, ‘We’re still in the agreement, and we’re gonna fill the gap. We’re gonna meet the U.S. commitment, regardless of what Donald Trump does,” Gore told the Associated Press recently at a special screening for “An Inconvenient Sequel: Truth to Power.”

It follows the 2006 Oscar-winning documentary, “An Inconvenient Truth,” and continues the conversation of finding solutions for the effects of climate change, including an emphasis on renewable energy. Much like the first film, Gore is front and center in leading the discussion.

It’s been a remarkable second act for Gore since winning the popular vote, but losing the Electoral College in the 2000 presidential election.

There’s no question that Gore was devastated from the loss, but his stature as an important voice for environmental issues has proven equally successful, as he amassed a Nobel Prize, Academy Award, an Emmy, and a Grammy for his relentless dedication to climate change activism.

“I’m under no illusion that there’s any position with as much chance to do good as president of the United States, but I’m very grateful to have found another way to serve the public interests. I’m devoting my life to this and hoping to make a big difference,” Gore said.

CNN Legal Analyst Jeffrey Toobin, who also attended the premiere, agrees that Gore “had done pretty well for himself” after the disputed 2000 presidential election.

“Al Gore could have done many things after he was not inaugurated in 2001, but what he did was become the leading global spokesman for perhaps the most important scientific and environmental cause of our lifetime, and he won a Nobel Prize in the bargain. So I don’t think anyone could quarrel with how Al Gore has decided to live his life,” he said.

A big part of Gore’s mission depends on convincing people that climate change is not a hoax. Instead, it’s based on science that shows the global mean surface temperature continues to rise, due in part to an increase in greenhouse gasses.

So while global warming is immune to politics, the topic remains a partisan issue in the United States. That’s something the former vice president blames on corporate funding for political campaigns.

“The truth about the climate crisis is still inconvenient for the big carbon polluters, and the politicians that they support with their big campaign contributions and lobbying activities are scared to cross them. That’s the main reason. They’ve spent a lot of money trying to put out false information about it,” Gore said.

Still, he remains confident that the problem can be fixed.

“People are seeing through this now. Two-thirds of the American people want to solve this big time. We are gonna solve it. We just need to move faster on it,” Gore said.

Gore feels that change will come from the “grass roots up.” That’s why he spends a great deal of time training climate activists around the globe.

“We need to get more people involved. That’s one of the real purposes of this movie. To tell people what they need to know, to show them that there is hope and there are solutions now, and inspire them to get involved,” Gore said.

Davis Guggenheim directed the first film to box office and Oscar glory, bringing climate change into the mainstream.

The sequel, directed by Bonni Cohen and Jon Shenk picks up the conversation with more of a battle cry for saving the planet.

Knowing he was stepping into big shoes for this film, Shenk noted the importance of his predecessor’s film.