Run Al, run - you co-winner of the Nobel Peace Prize, you!

I'll probably blog a little bit about Shift's VERY wonderful annual hui over the next day or so, but I just had to do a blog about this first....

THE NOBEL PEACE PRIZE FOR 2007

The Norwegian Nobel Committee has decided that the Nobel Peace Prize for 2007 is to be shared, in two equal parts, between the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) and Albert Arnold (Al) Gore Jr. for their efforts to build up and disseminate greater knowledge about man-made climate change, and to lay the foundations for the measures that are needed to counteract such change.

Indications of changes in the earth's future climate must be treated with the utmost seriousness, and with the precautionary principle uppermost in our minds. Extensive climate changes may alter and threaten the living conditions of much of mankind. They may induce large-scale migration and lead to greater competition for the earth's resources. Such changes will place particularly heavy burdens on the world's most vulnerable countries. There may be increased danger of violent conflicts and wars, within and between states.

Through the scientific reports it has issued over the past two decades, the IPCC has created an ever-broader informed consensus about the connection between human activities and global warming. Thousands of scientists and officials from over one hundred 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. In the last few years, the connections have become even clearer and the consequences still more apparent.

Al Gore has for a long time been one of the world's leading environmentalist politicians. He became aware at an early stage of the climatic challenges the world is facing. His strong commitment, reflected in political activity, lectures, films and books, has strengthened the struggle against climate change. He is probably the single individual who has done most to create greater worldwide understanding of the measures that need to be adopted.

By awarding the Nobel Peace Prize for 2007 to the IPCC and Al Gore, the Norwegian Nobel Committee is seeking to contribute to a sharper focus on the processes and decisions that appear to be necessary to protect the world's future climate, and thereby to reduce the threat to the security of mankind. Action is necessary now, before climate change moves beyond man's control.

Oslo, 12 October 2007

Woohoo! Well done Al Gore! Congratulations to the IPCC! When I studied climate change at University a mere *cough*25yearsago*cough*, I didn't think it would take this long for the world at large to start waking up to the damage we're causing to the planet (and ultimately to life on earth), but better late than never, I guess.

Now come on Al - stop keeping us all in suspense and announce you're running for President already! I know it's a shitty job and no-one in their right mind would really want to do it - not to mention the dirty tricks and vitriol you have to face on the way there - but you won it once and you can win it again...

Please accept that the most effective way you can continue to affect change in international attitudes and behaviour as regards climate change is by being the leader of the most powerful (and most polluting/consuming/greedy/wasteful) nation on earth.

Planet earth needs you, Al! Please run for President!


Al Gore on Saturday Night Live in 2006. Awesome.


Graph showing actual Arctic sea ice loss compared to IPCC models - it's MUCH worse than even the most pessimistic predictions...

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