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Outcome
On July 17, 2007 -- Mr. Gore has unexpectedly announced a major renewable energy proposal. He is calling for the U.S. to produce all its electricity from renewable energy (sadly including still non-existent "clean coal") in ten years. Yet this is a worthy goal that should be supported.
Our alert which suggested Mr. Gore was not being ambitous enough in his calls for action and sufficient policies grew from a perception that given all the accolades and positive awareness building, there was more Mr. Gore could do in terms of calling for tranformative change. Apparently he felt this as well. The timing of this alert and the positive lifting of campaign goals by Mr. Gore are coincidental, yet given this positive development, we have decided to retire the alert.
Yet, as even Mr. Gore acknowledges, this represents only a part of a comprehensive package of climate change solution. The grassroots, ecologically sufficient climate movement will continue to pressure Mr. Gore and other leaders to emphasize root causes such as over-population, the need for personal sacrifice and reductions in consumption (including by himself), and other aspects of a comprehensive plan to save the climate and Earth.
Action Alert: Dear Al Gore, We Need the Full Truth Regarding Actions Sufficient to Avert Catastrophic Climate Change
Encourage Mr. Gore to tell the full truth regarding the magnitude of actions required for climate change solutions, including advocating for an end to coal and ancient forest logging, and personal sacrifice including reduced consumption
By
Climate Ark, a project of Ecological Internet
-
July 14, 2008
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1.) Inform Yourself
NOTE: This is a protest, not a petition, sending emails to many real decision makers on matters vital to the Earth.
Caption:
To achieve climate sustainability, Mr. Gore simply must use his position of power and influence to lead us in demanding real, sufficient change in climate policies (link)
Al Gore is a global hero for the work he has done since leaving government to
promote awareness regarding climate change. Yet I am sure he would agree that
this and other long-standing awareness building efforts have failed woefully to
turn such awareness into sufficient climate policy actions. We have been
bombarded with messages from Al Gore's "We Campaign" that "you can't solve the
climate crisis alone." Yet an equally important and largely unspoken message is
that it also cannot be solved with unambitious and clearly insufficient
solutions. It is becoming readily apparent that Mr. Gore's climate change
leadership is in many ways problematic, and he needs to be compelled to work to
enunciate and implement timely, rigorous and sufficient climate policies.
At times the "We campaign", a project of The Alliance for Climate Protection
founded by the Nobel laureate former Vice President, is virtually
indistinguishable from the feel good, denial propaganda of the coal industry.
This complex and urgent global ecological crisis is addressed with vague
platitudes and calls to do something together -- just what is not exactly clear.
Since his "An Inconvenient Truth" documentary, Mr. Gore has first focused upon
celebrity and has now chosen to emphasize bipartisanship. In each communication
strategy – the documentary, entertainment and now public awareness advertising
– putting forth sufficient solutions that may actually be of a magnitude and
scale to solve the issue has been sacrificed to building political unanimity
based upon the lowest common denominator of acceptable action.
Climate awareness without climate action is still climate change. While these
efforts are reaching a large audience, the scale of the solutions presented --
such as using energy efficient light bulbs and driving a Prius; or even the We
Campaign's goals of modest increases in renewable energy goals, global long-term emission targets, and minor coal plant regulations -- is wholly inadequate. Mr. Gore's efforts
continue to do a disservice to prospects for achieving global ecological
sustainability by downplaying the immense social and personal transformations
necessary, including personal sacrifice, to build a low-carbon economic system
that does not further undermine our shared biosphere.
It has been falsely suggested and widely accepted climate change can by easily and cheaply addressed if we just all agree it is a problem. Stabilizing global climate and ecological systems will require addressing head on major difficult issues including over-population and over-consumption (by some), and this requires dramatic reductions in energy use, consumer consumption and birth rates. Long-standing
economic activities such as coal plants that emit into the atmosphere and first time industrial logging of primary forests are going to have to be entirely
foregone. Mr. Gore must be encouraged to speak the full truth regarding these and other rigorous
policies necessary to actually address climate change, not continuing to seek political consensus based on
shallow solutions at the expense of directly addressing root causes. Until he does, he
undermines those of us who have thought through what is actually required
scientifically in terms of climate policy to be successful in maintaining an operable atmosphere.
And frankly, it is sad to see someone of Mr. Gore's skills, resources and
contacts not choose to lead by example and seek to dramatically reduce his own
carbon emissions. He has chosen to not demonstrate the personal sacrifice
necessary to lead in bringing about climate social change. Yet, there are few
with the widespread appeal and legitimacy of Mr. Gore, including inroads into
the elite and money, and he must be called upon to begin telling the full truth
regarding how climate sustainability will be achieved. Tell Mr. Gore if he
really believes climate change is truly a global emergency threatening
civilization, he should be leading by example and organizing mass protests in
support of a rigorous and sufficient biocentric climate plan.
Sample Email Sent
Nice renewable energy plan, now please address population, consumption and other ecological crises
Dear Mr. Gore,
Your recent work on climate change awareness has been
important and is deeply appreciated. And your just unveiled
ambitious plan for renewable energy is noted and strongly
supported. Yet with your extensive resources and contacts,
it is troubling that you are not promoting a comprehensive,
scientifically rigorous master plan detailing all the
dramatic social change and personal sacrifice necessary to
truly solve climate change. This protest is not meant as a
personal attack, rather, it asks you to consider what comes
next in promoting climate change ACTION. I call upon you to
use your position of climate change leadership to enunciate
and implement timely, rigorous and sufficient climate
policies; and that go beyond what is politically expedient
to what is needed.
I am disappointed in the limited scope and insufficient
solutions presented in "An Inconvenient Truth" and your
subsequent work. Your "We Campaign" is virtually
indistinguishable from the feel good, denial propaganda of
the coal industry. This complex and urgent global
ecological crisis is addressed with vague platitudes and
calls to do something together -- just what is not exactly
clear. Suggestions to use energy efficient light bulbs and
drive a Prius; or even renewable energy, global long-term
emission targets, and minor coal plant regulations, are
only part of the climate and other eco-crises' solution.
Climate change is indicative of broad based ecological
unsustainability caused by how over-developed countries
live, and to which others aspire. Too many humans,
consuming too much, not only impacts the climate, but also
water, forests, oceans, soils, desertification, toxics and
many other related ecological crises. Given the dearth of
leaders with your appeal, legitimacy and resources; we are
counting on your to broaden your message to speak frankly
of what is required to avert global ecological collapse,
and usher in an era of global ecological restoration and
sustainability.
Climate awareness without climate action is still climate
change. Please in your future efforts place less emphasis
upon celebrity, bipartisanship and renewable energy to
power continued over-consumption, and more on detailing and
addressing, difficult, ambitious and sufficient climate
change policies -- including explicitly emphasizing the
difficult issues of over-population and over-consumption.
Stabilizing global climate and ecological systems will
require dramatic reductions in energy use, consumer
consumption and birth rates. Long-standing economic
activities such as coal plants that emit into the
atmosphere and first time industrial logging of primary
forests are going to have to be entirely foregone as soon
as possible.
Given two wasted decades since the climate change emergency
became known, one of which was on your watch, please place
less emphasis upon seeking political consensus based on
shallow, least-common-denominator solutions. It is
inappropriate to suggest climate change solutions will be
easy and cheap. Instead, spend more time candidly speaking
the full truth regarding rigorous action-orientated
policies necessary to successfully address climate change.
Until you do, you are undermining those of us who have
thought through what is actually required scientifically,
socially and personally in terms of climate policy.
If you want to continue leading on climate, and believe
climate change is truly a global emergency threatening
civilization, please ensure future lectures, documentaries
and campaigns stress specific rigorous policies that if
achieved will actually be adequate to ensure an operable
atmosphere. Please start leading by example with your own
energy consumption, and start organizing mass protests in
support of a scientifically rigorous and sufficient
biocentric climate plan of the sort suggested above.
Mr. Gore, you simply must use your position of power and
influence to lead us in demanding real, sufficient change
in climate policies, or step aside. I and many others would
follow you to stop a new coal plant or protect an ancient
forest. Perhaps it is time for less talk and more action?
With respect and concern,
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