Kudos to Al Gore

Since the 2000 presidential election debacle, former Vice President Al Gore has achieved more fame and notoriety from his environmental advocacy work than anything he accomplished during his years in the Clinton administration. It appears 2007 is his year.

In February, Gore won an Oscar award for his documentary, An Inconvenient Truth, which exposed the harsh realities of global warming. He was also given the privilege of testifying before the Senate Environment Committee hearing on global climate change the following month. However, the greatest tribute to Gore’s efforts came on Friday, when it was announced he will share the Nobel Peace Prize with the U.N. Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change.

In his statement published in USA Today, Gore said, “The climate crisis is not a political issue, it is a moral and spiritual challenge to all of humanity. It is also our greatest opportunity to lift global consciousness to a higher level.” The $1.5 million he receives in proceeds will be donated to the non-profit Alliance for Climate Protection.

Thanks to his contributions and the hard work of so many scientists and politicians, climate change will be a higher priority on the international agenda in the years to come.