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Groups > OtherMother(OM)*Foundation.org > Discussions > Topic: Planetary Emergency
Topic: Planetary Emergency

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Vibraceous N.	A REAL Plan! January 05, 2008 7:05 AM Kucinich-Global Warming & America's Energy Future 06:39 From: Kucinich2008 [ send green star]
anonymous	GAIA MOTHER EARTH August 13, 2007 1:15 AM GAIA MOTHER EARTH [report anonymous abuse]
Vibraceous N.	LIVE EARTH July 05, 2007 3:04 AM 10 Shows That Will Make Live Earth a Day to Remember 24 Hours of Green TV: Spending the Day Watching Eco-Programming A Greener Reality: Reality TV Series Shed Light on Darker Problems Making Madonna: 10 Moments That Created An Icon Smokey, Woodsy and Iron Eyes: Greatest Environmental TV PSAs Live Earth: Historic Concert Event to Solve the Climate Crisis Environmental Films Aren't All About Penguins and Al Gore Cause Concerts: A Brief History of Activist Concerts How Celebrities Apply Eco-Consciousness to Everyday Living [ send green star]
anonymous	sorry for all my clowning around, this will once again be a serious group ! June 26, 2007 3:17 AM sorry for all my clowning around, this will once again be a serious group ! [report anonymous abuse]
anonymous	Other Mother Foundation(OM Foundation) is dedicated to the salvation of the ecosystem known as Gaia May 30, 2007 3:52 AM Other Mother Foundation(OM Foundation) is dedicated to the salvation of the ecosystem known as Gaia through active intervention of future sciences and earthly technologies that replant, reforest, and re-populate our lands, oceans, and skies with diversity [report anonymous abuse]
anonymous	Rallies nationwide urge Congress: Step it up on climate April 15, 2007 1:29 AM Associated Press. All rights reserved.This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. -- No virus found in this outgoing message. Checked by AVG Free Edition. Version: 7.5.446 / Virus Database: 269.4.0/760 - Release Date: 4/13/2007 8:04 PM [report anonymous abuse]
anonymous	Investors Managing $4 Trillion Call on Congress to Tackle Global Climate Change April 11, 2007 12:44 AM Investors Managing $4 Trillion Call on Congress to Tackle Global Climate Change March 19, 2007 WASHINGTON DC – For the first time, dozens of institutional investors managing $4 trillion in assets today called on US lawmakers to enact strong federal legislation to curb the pollution causing global climate change. Joined by a dozen leading US companies, the investor group outlined the business and economic rationale for climate action as they called for a national policy that reduces greenhouse gas emissions consistent with targets scientists say are needed to avoid the dangerous impacts of global warming. The group, organized by Ceres and the Investor Network on Climate Risk, issued a Climate Call to Action at a press conference today in Washington DC. The 65 signers include institutional investors and asset managers such as Merrill Lynch, and the California Public Employees Retirement System (CalPER, as well as leading corporations such as BP America, Allianz, PG&E, DuPont, Alcoa, Sun Microsystems and National Grid. (See full list below) In endorsing the statement, investors and companies sent a strong message that climate policy uncertainty and the lack of federal regulations may be undermining their long-term competitiveness because it is preventing them from investing in clean energy and climate-friendly technologies and practices. "Global warming presents enormous risks and opportunities for US businesses and investors,” said Fred R. Buenrostro, chief executive officer at CalPERS, the country’s largest public pension fund with $230 billion in assets. "To tap American ingenuity and drive business to a leadership position in the low-carbon future, we need regulations to enable the markets to deploy capital and spur innovation.” “Investors and companies are asking Washington to set a clear policy direction to address the risks of climate change,” said Ceres president Mindy S. Lubber, whose organization also directs the Investor Network on Climate Risk. “The greatest climate risk facing investors and business is the uncertainty caused by the absence of U.S. policy.” Climate change presents far-reaching risks and opportunities for businesses and investors. Some companies in sectors such as electric power, oil and automotive will face high financial risks from carbon-reducing regulations if they are not prepared to act. Insurance companies and businesses with infrastructure in places vulnerable to extreme weather events also face financial exposure. On the flip side, climate change presents significant economic opportunities for businesses that invest in new technologies and products to save energy and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Citing these trends – as well as recent scientific reports concluding that climate change is taking place and that human activities are the primary contributor – investors and companies called for the following three actions: Leadership by the US government to achieve sizable, sensible long-term reductions of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in accordance with the 60-90% reductions below 1990 levels by 2050 that scientists and climate models suggest is urgently needed to avoid worst case scenarios. Wherever possible, the national policy should include mandatory market-based solutions, such as a cap-and-trade system, that establish an economy-wide carbon price, allow for flexibility and encourage innovation. A realignment of national energy and transportation policies to stimulate research, development and deployment of new and existing clean technologies at the scale necessary to achieve GHG reduction goals. The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) to clarify what companies should disclose to investors on climate change in their regular financial reporting. The entire statement and more information on the climate call to action can be found at: http://www.ceres.org/Call_to_Action/ “As institutional investors focused on the long-term financial performance of a company, we expect a thorough analysis of all significant business liabilities,” said Connecticut State Treasurer Denise L. Nappier. “Leading companies have already made progress working to not only assess and report the risks posed by climate change, but to also set in place strategic plans to foster future growth and success. In the face of mounting evidence demonstrating the economic implications of climate change, we strongly urge the SEC to acknowledge it as a material consideration and require all companies to disclose its impact to shareholders.” “Allianz SE believes it is essential to put a price tag on carbon, thereby enabling market mechanisms to drive emissions reductions and climate protection,” said Joachim Faber, member of the Board of Management at Allianz SE, which manages $1.6 trillion of assets. “Despite challenges in the application of the European carbon emissions trading system, we firmly believe that appropriately structured carbon cap and trade programs play a central role in addressing the challenge of global climate change.” “The lack of a national climate policy is hindering the business community’s ability to respond,” said Jack Ehnes, chief executive officer of the California State Teachers Retirement System (CalSTR. “In addition to providing a clear regulatory roadmap, Congress needs to realign energy and transportation policies to stimulate new technologies that will enable us to achieve dramatic greenhouse gas reductions.” “The investor and the business community are demonstrating that they are ahead of the political process. Like most responsible observers, they’ve seen the science, know it is real and must be responded to,” said Timothy E. Wirth, president of the United Nations Foundation. “Through their actions, they are demonstrating that preventing cl [report anonymous abuse]
anonymous	U.N. to discuss climate as security issue April 05, 2007 1:22 AM U.N. to discuss climate as security issue U.N. to discuss climate as security issue POSTED: 0800 GMT (1600 HKT), April 5, 2007 UNITED NATIONS (AP) -- The U.N. Security Council will discuss potential threats to international security from climate change for the first time later this month. Britain's U.N. Ambassador Emyr Jones Parry, the current council president, said Wednesday the meeting will highlight "what a sensitive, difficult issue" climate change is and the importance of addressing its potential security ramifications -- from rising temperatures increasing water levels and swallowing up island nations to possible famine. "This is a very complex issue and one of the big challenges for the world for the next century, literally," he said. British Foreign Secretary Margaret Beckett will chair the April 17 meeting and has invited the 14 other council nations to be represented at ministerial level if they wish, Jones Parry said. "The traditional triggers for conflict which exist out there are likely to be exacerbated by the effect of climate change," he said. The council will look at the impact of climate change on water, agricultural production, the potential for famine and crop surpluses, he said. "I don't want to state these are factors that determine conflict, no," Jones Parry said. "But they will, at the margin, and sometimes more than the margin, have a contributing effect, too, so that's part of our argument.' In the Maldives, for instance, a 1.5-degree or 2-degree Centigrade change in temperature will increase the ocean level by 10 feet, or three meters, which would put the country under water, he said. "If you therefore know your state will not exist, to talk to them about security is something they wouldn't doubt," Jones Parry said. Britain also wants to hold the meeting to have the Security Council "accept that there is a dimension of this which is a potential threat," he said. In other countries such as Bangladesh, large numbers of people will have to move, he said. "They're all factors that can give rise to potential instability," Jones Parry said, "and what we want to see is that they, too, take their place along with energy, environment, economic issues, the scientific aspect" of climate change. He said the meeting will not produce a council statement or resolution. "But the fact of holding it and highlighting these issues, we think is important," Jones Parry said. Last month, an international panel of scientists presented the United Nations with a sweeping, detailed plan to combat climate change, warning that failure would produce a turbulent 21st century of weather extremes, spreading drought and disease, expanding oceans and displacing coastal populations. That report was issued just three weeks after the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, an authoritative U.N. network of 2,000 scientists, reported that global warming is being caused largely by the accumulation of carbon dioxide and other heat-trapping gases in the atmosphere, mostly from man's burning of coal, oil and other fossil fuels. If nothing is done, it said, global temperatures could rise as much as 6 degrees Celsius (11 degrees Fahrenheit) by 2100. Jones Parry said he expects negotiations next year on how the world should address global warming, "and my guess is that sometime next year, there will be a summit devoted to climate change." He said it was "quite likely" the summit would tak [report anonymous abuse]
anonymous	APRIL IS EARTH MONTH. THANK YOU FOR ALL YOUR CLICKS TO DONATE. April 01, 2007 12:34 PM APRIL IS EARTH MONTH. THANK YOU FOR ALL YOUR CLICKS TO DONATE. *APRIL IS EARTH MONTH.* THANK YOU FOR ALL YOUR CLICKS TO DONATE. [report anonymous abuse]
anonymous	Draft of climate report maps out 'highway to extinction' April 01, 2007 10:23 AM Draft of climate report maps out 'highway to extinction' April 1, 2007 • Climate change report due Friday in Belgium charts effects by degree • Minimal heat rise means more food production in northern regions • Scientist: "Worst stuff is not going to happen because we can't be that stupid" • Report will be second in a U.N.-guided, four-volume review, updating 2001 version WASHINGTON (AP) -- A key element of the second major report on climate change being released Friday in Belgium is a chart that maps out the effects of global warming, most of them bad, with every degree of temperature rise. There's one bright spot: A minimal heat rise means more food production in northern regions of the world. However, the number of species going extinct rises with the heat, as does the number of people who may starve, or face water shortages, or floods, according to the projections in the draft report obtained by The Associated Press Some scientists are calling this degree-by-degree projection a "highway to extinction." It's likely to be the source of sharp closed-door debate, some scientists say, along with a multitude of other issues in the 20-chapter draft report from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. While the wording in the draft is almost guaranteed to change at this week's meeting in Brussels, several scientists say the focus won't. The final document will be the product of a United Nations network of 2,000 scientists as authors and reviewers, along with representatives of more than 120 governments as last-minute editors. It will be the second volume of a four-volume authoritative assessment of Earth's climate being released this year. The last such effort was in 2001. (Volume 1: Humans 'very likely' cause warming) Andrew Weaver, a climate scientist with the University of Victoria in British Columbia, said the chart of results from various temperature levels is "a highway to extinction, but on this highway there are many turnoffs. This is showing you where the road is heading. The road is heading toward extinction." Weaver is one of the lead authors of the first report, issued in February. While humanity will survive, hundreds of millions, maybe billions of people may not, according to the chart -- if the worst scenarios happen. The report says global warming has already degraded conditions for many species, coastal areas and poor people. With a more than 90 percent level of confidence, the scientists in the draft report say man-made global warming "over the last three decades has had a discernible influence on many physical and biological systems." But as the world's average temperature warms from 1990 levels, the projections get more dire. Add 1.8 degrees Fahrenheit -- 1 degree Celsius is the calculation scientists use -- and between 400 million and 1.7 billion extra people can't get enough water, some infectious diseases and allergenic pollens rise, and some amphibians go extinct. But the world's food supply, especially in northern areas, could increase. That's the likely outcome around 2020, according to the draft. Add another 1.8 degrees and as many as 2 billion people could be without water and about 20 percent to 30 percent of the world's species near extinction. Also, more people start dying because of malnutrition, disease, heat waves, floods and droughts -- all caused by global warming. That would happen around 2050, depending on the level of greenhouse gases from the burning of fossil fuels. At the extreme end of the projections, a 7- to 9-degree average temperature increase, the chart predicts: "Up to one-fifth of the world population affected by increased flood events" ... "1.1 to 3.2 billion people with increased water scarcity" ..."major extinctions around the globe." Despite that dire outlook, several scientists involved in the process say they are optimistic that such a drastic temperature rise won't happen because people will reduce carbon dioxide emissions that cause global warming. "The worst stuff is not going to happen because we can't be that stupid," said Harvard University oceanographer James McCarthy, who was a top author of the 2001 version of this report. "Not that I think the projections aren't that good, but because we can't be that stupid." Copyright 2007 The Associated Press. [report anonymous abuse]
Jennie P.	An Inconvenient Truth March 31, 2007 9:26 AM [ send green star]
Vibraceous N.	Have You Seen the Movie? March 31, 2007 9:05 AM An Inconvenient Truth A documentary on Al Gore's campaign to make the issue of global warming a recognized problem worldwide. Director Davis Guggenheim eloquently weaves the science of global warming with Mr. Gore's personal history and lifelong commitment to reversing the effects of global climate change. A longtime advocate for the environment, Gore presents a wide array of facts and information in a thoughtful and compelling way. "Al Gore strips his presentations of politics, laying out the facts for the audience to draw their own conclusions in a charming, funny and engaging style, and by the end has everyone on the edge of their seats, gripped by his haunting message," said Guggenheim. An Inconvenient Truth is not a story of despair but rather a rallying cry to protect the one earth we all share. "It is now clear that we face a deepening global climate crisis that requires us to act boldly, quickly, and wisely," said Gore. Buy it and show ALL your friends!!! Vibraceous, ND [ send green star]
Vibraceous N.	Stay Informed! Spread the Word! March 24, 2007 5:21 PM Al Gore Get Live Earth concert updates Stay connected and take action Send this page to a friend Live Earth home [ send green star]
Vibraceous N.	MORE ABOUT THE CONCERT March 24, 2007 5:17 PM 7/7/07 Live Earth - The Concert for a Climate in Crisis Concerts on all 7 continents Shanghai Sydney Johannesburg London Brazil TBD Japan TBD United States TBD TBD 100+ artists Current and legendary artists across all genres performing multiple hits. Pharrell Red Hot Chili Peppers Foo Fighters Snoop Dogg Lenny Kravitz Bon Jovi Paolo Nutini Sheryl Crow AFI Melissa Etheridge John Mayer Damien Rice Corinne Bailey Rae Duran Duran Bloc Party Snow Patrol John Legend Black Eyed Peas Akon Enrique Iglesias Fall Out Boy Mana Keane Kelly Clarkson Korn Faith Hill w/ Tim McGraw Ray LaMontagne Robin Thicke Kenna Celebrities and thought leaders Entertainers, athletes, scientists, government leaders and CEOs helping engage their constituencies with SOS. More than 1 million audience members Live concert attendance reaching more than 1 million people. More than 2 billion viewers Multi-platform distribution (television, radio, internet, wireless) reaching in excess of 2 billion people across the globe. The global audience gathered for Live Earth, its ongoing actions, and the proceeds from the concerts, will form the foundation for a new, multi-year international initiative to combat the climate crisis led The Alliance for Climate Protection and its Chair, Al Gore. [ send green star]
Vibraceous N.	Gore announces 'Live Earth' concert March 24, 2007 5:04 PM Randall E. Gore announces 'Live Earth' concert February 15, 2007 6:48 PM • Environmental activists organize 'Live Earth' concert to fight global warming • The 24-hour pop concert will take place across 7 continents on July 7 • Former Vice President Al Gore: 'We have to reach billions of people' LOS ANGELES, California (Reuters) -- Environmental activists led by former Vice President Al Gore announced plans Thursday for a 24-hour pop concert across seven continents in July to mobilize action to stop global warming. The "Live Earth" concerts on July 7 and will bring together more than 100 of the world's top musical acts, organizers said. Names of the performers were not immediately released. Organizers of the concerts and the new campaign Save Our Selves (S.O.S.) hope to reach a global audience of some 2 billion people through concert attendance, radio, television and Internet broadcasts. "In order to solve the climate crisis, we have to reach billions of people," Gore said in a statement. "We are launching SOS and Live Earth to begin a process of communication that will mobilize people all over the world to take action. "The climate crisis will only be stopped by an unprecedented and sustained global movement. We hope to jump-start that movement right here, right now, and take it to a new level on July 7, 2007." Gore has become one of the most visible activists on global warming. His "An Inconvenient Truth" documentary has been nominated for an Oscar. [ send green star]
anonymous	Thank You, again, Dr. Jody - you ARE the Green Goddess here, again March 21, 2007 11:49 PM Thank You, again, Dr. Jody - you ARE the Green Goddess here, again - [report anonymous abuse]
Vibraceous N.	Video March 21, 2007 5:41 PM Interview: Al Gore explains how you can fight global warming08:04 http://thedailybackground.com In a recent interview with The Guardian/the British Channel 4, former Vice President Al Gore explains the steps that can be taken by everybody to fight global warming. [ send green star]
Vibraceous N.	March 21, 2007 5:33 PM Gore Warns of 'Planetary Emergency' Former Vice President Testifies on Capitol Hill By NEDRA PICKLER WASHINGTON (March 21) - Al Gore made an emotional return to Congress Wednesday to plead with lawmakers to fight global warming with moral courage while revealing nothing about whether he'll join the 2008 presidential race. Former Vice President Al Gore testifies Wednesday on climate change. "The consequences are mainly negative and headed toward catastrophic unless we act," he told two House panels. From the Blog: Time for Congress to Step Up? The former vice president is a Democratic favorite for the presidential nomination even though he says he's not running. Fresh off a triumphant Hollywood appearance in which his climate-change documentary, "An Inconvenient Truth," won two Oscars, Gore drew overflow crowds as he testified before House and Senate panels about a "true planetary emergency." He said the issue should not be partisan or political, but Gore faced skeptical Republicans who questioned his personal commitment to reducing energy usage and the science behind his film. "You're not just off a little, you're totally wrong," said Texas Rep. Joe Barton, the leading Republican on the House Energy and Commerce Committee, as he challenged Gore's conclusion that carbon dioxide emissions cause rising global temperatures. Barton and Gore's exchange grew testy at one point - Barton demanding that Gore get to the point and Gore responding that he would like time to answer without being interrupted. The Democratic Field: Who's In, Who's Out "Global warming science is uneven and evolving," Barton said. Gore insisted that the link is beyond dispute and is the source of broad agreement in the scientific community. "The planet has a fever," Gore said. "If your baby has a fever, you go to the doctor. If the doctor says you need to intervene here, you don't say, 'Well, I read a science fiction novel that told me it's not a problem.' If the crib's on fire, you don't speculate that the baby is flame retardant. You take action." Gore's congressional testimony marked the first time he had been to Capitol Hill since January 2001, when he was the defeated Democratic presidential nominee still presiding over the Senate in his role as vice president. It comes 20 years after Gore, then a congressman from Tennessee, held the first hearings in Congress on global warming. It also brought him face-to-face with Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton, who could have her front-runner status threatened if Gore decided to challenge her for the party nomination. But there was no political fireworks between them at the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee hearing. Clinton said she found some of Gore's ideas "extremely intriguing" and asked for more details on proposals such as a carbon-based tax, a cap-and-trade system and a carbon neutral mortgage association. In a day of testimony, Gore first appeared before a joint hearing by two House committees, with his wife, Tipper, sitting behind him and a stack of boxes beside him containing hundreds of thousands of messages asking Congress to act on global warming. Later, he testified before the Senate panel where partisan bickering grew even louder. Republican Sen. James Inhofe of Oklahoma, who has labeled global warming a hoax, complained that the Democratic leadership gave Gore extra time and advantages not afforded typical witnesses. Inhofe then grilled Gore about his personal energy use at his Tennessee mansion and showed the final frame of Gore's film that read, "Are you ready to change the way you live?" When Gore tried to respond at length, Inhofe cut him off. Democratic Chairwoman Barbara Boxer kept trying to bring order to the hearing. She told Inhofe he can't control things anymore now that Republicans have lost their majority. "Elections have consequences, so I make the rules," she said, holding up her gavel to cheers from the audience. Gore sighed heavily and proposed that he and Inhofe have breakfast and privately discuss it away from the cameras. Gore said he hopes whoever is elected president in 2008 "can use his or her political chips" to lead the world toward a new global climate treaty to replace the 1997 Kyoto protocol that requires 35 industrial nations to cut greenhouse gases. The Bush administration argues Kyoto would hurt the U.S. economy and objects that high-polluting developing nations like China and India are not required to reduce emissions. "I fully understand that Kyoto, as a brand if you will, has been demonized," Gore said. Gore was warmly welcomed back by some of his critics, such as Rep. Ralph Hall, R-Texas, who remembered serving with Gore's father and bantered with Gore about an evening boat ride they took together. "You're dear to us, but I just don't agree with you on this," Hall said. Gore advised lawmakers to cut carbon dioxide and other warming gases 90 percent by 2050 to avoid a crisis. Doing that, he said, will require a ban on any new coal-burning power plants - a major source of industrial carbon dioxide - that lack state-of-the-art controls to capture the gases. He said he foresees a revolution in small-scale electricity producers for replacing coal, likening the development to what the Internet has done for the exchange of information. "There is a sense of hope in this country that this United States Congress will rise to the occasion and present meaningful solutions to this crisis," Gore said. "Our world faces a true planetary emergency. I know the phrase sounds shrill, and I know it's a challenge to the moral imagination." [ send green star]
Vibraceous N.	March 21, 2007 5:33 PM Gore Warns of 'Planetary Emergency' Former Vice President Testifies on Capitol Hill By NEDRA PICKLER WASHINGTON (March 21) - Al Gore made an emotional return to Congress Wednesday to plead with lawmakers to fight global warming with moral courage while revealing nothing about whether he'll join the 2008 presidential race. Former Vice President Al Gore testifies Wednesday on climate change. "The consequences are mainly negative and headed toward catastrophic unless we act," he told two House panels. From the Blog: Time for Congress to Step Up? The former vice president is a Democratic favorite for the presidential nomination even though he says he's not running. Fresh off a triumphant Hollywood appearance in which his climate-change documentary, "An Inconvenient Truth," won two Oscars, Gore drew overflow crowds as he testified before House and Senate panels about a "true planetary emergency." He said the issue should not be partisan or political, but Gore faced skeptical Republicans who questioned his personal commitment to reducing energy usage and the science behind his film. "You're not just off a little, you're totally wrong," said Texas Rep. Joe Barton, the leading Republican on the House Energy and Commerce Committee, as he challenged Gore's conclusion that carbon dioxide emissions cause rising global temperatures. Barton and Gore's exchange grew testy at one point - Barton demanding that Gore get to the point and Gore responding that he would like time to answer without being interrupted. The Democratic Field: Who's In, Who's Out "Global warming science is uneven and evolving," Barton said. Gore insisted that the link is beyond dispute and is the source of broad agreement in the scientific community. "The planet has a fever," Gore said. "If your baby has a fever, you go to the doctor. If the doctor says you need to intervene here, you don't say, 'Well, I read a science fiction novel that told me it's not a problem.' If the crib's on fire, you don't speculate that the baby is flame retardant. You take action." Gore's congressional testimony marked the first time he had been to Capitol Hill since January 2001, when he was the defeated Democratic presidential nominee still presiding over the Senate in his role as vice president. It comes 20 years after Gore, then a congressman from Tennessee, held the first hearings in Congress on global warming. It also brought him face-to-face with Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton, who could have her front-runner status threatened if Gore decided to challenge her for the party nomination. But there was no political fireworks between them at the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee hearing. Clinton said she found some of Gore's ideas "extremely intriguing" and asked for more details on proposals such as a carbon-based tax, a cap-and-trade system and a carbon neutral mortgage association. In a day of testimony, Gore first appeared before a joint hearing by two House committees, with his wife, Tipper, sitting behind him and a stack of boxes beside him containing hundreds of thousands of messages asking Congress to act on global warming. Later, he testified before the Senate panel where partisan bickering grew even louder. Republican Sen. James Inhofe of Oklahoma, who has labeled global warming a hoax, complained that the Democratic leadership gave Gore extra time and advantages not afforded typical witnesses. Inhofe then grilled Gore about his personal energy use at his Tennessee mansion and showed the final frame of Gore's film that read, "Are you ready to change the way you live?" When Gore tried to respond at length, Inhofe cut him off. Democratic Chairwoman Barbara Boxer kept trying to bring order to the hearing. She told Inhofe he can't control things anymore now that Republicans have lost their majority. "Elections have consequences, so I make the rules," she said, holding up her gavel to cheers from the audience. Gore sighed heavily and proposed that he and Inhofe have breakfast and privately discuss it away from the cameras. Gore said he hopes whoever is elected president in 2008 "can use his or her political chips" to lead the world toward a new global climate treaty to replace the 1997 Kyoto protocol that requires 35 industrial nations to cut greenhouse gases. The Bush administration argues Kyoto would hurt the U.S. economy and objects that high-polluting developing nations like China and India are not required to reduce emissions. "I fully understand that Kyoto, as a brand if you will, has been demonized," Gore said. Gore was warmly welcomed back by some of his critics, such as Rep. Ralph Hall, R-Texas, who remembered serving with Gore's father and bantered with Gore about an evening boat ride they took together. "You're dear to us, but I just don't agree with you on this," Hall said. Gore advised lawmakers to cut carbon dioxide and other warming gases 90 percent by 2050 to avoid a crisis. Doing that, he said, will require a ban on any new coal-burning power plants - a major source of industrial carbon dioxide - that lack state-of-the-art controls to capture the gases. He said he foresees a revolution in small-scale electricity producers for replacing coal, likening the development to what the Internet has done for the exchange of information. "There is a sense of hope in this country that this United States Congress will rise to the occasion and present meaningful solutions to this crisis," Gore said. "Our world faces a true planetary emergency. I know the phrase sounds shrill, and I know it's a challenge to the moral imagination." [ send green star]
Vibraceous N.	Planetary Emergency March 21, 2007 5:07 PM Pictures Say It All: Mr. Gore Goes to Washington Posted Mar 21st 2007 10:29AM by Kathleen Hayden Filed under: Al Gore, Environment, PSIA Al Gore returned to his old Capitol Hill stomping grounds Wednesday to testify before a joint hearing by two House committees on the issue of climate change. The homecoming proved to be "an emotional ocassion" (Gore had not been back officially since the then-VP last presided over the Senate in 2001) as the former congressman and senator was welcomed back warmly. By Democrats, at least. Once memory lane was adequately strolled, Gore turned his emotional energy to the mission of the day: warning his former colleagues that the future of humanity rests in their hands. "I want to testify today about what I believe is a planetary emergency -- a crisis that threatens the survival of our civilization and the habitability of the Earth," Gore said. "The consequences are mainly negative and headed toward catastrophic unless we act." He will later testify before a Senate committee that includes Hillary Clinton. [ send green star]