Former VP Al Gore: A clean Earth is within world’s grasp even as climate dangers accelerate

Former Vice President Al Gore remains optimistic about the possibility of a clean Earth within humanity's grasp, despite the accelerating climate dangers. In a recent interview with The Associated Press during New York Climate Week, Gore expressed confidence that 2026 may be viewed as the start of a positive tipping point in Earth's history.

Gore sees the world's shift towards solar and other renewable energy sources as overcoming the use of coal, oil, and gas, which are the leading causes of global warming. He draws parallels between the current effort to create a cleaner world and past morally based challenges such as the U.S. civil rights movement, Nelson Mandela's anti-apartheid movement, and women's equality efforts.

Although Gore acknowledges the extreme gravity of the situation, he remains temperamentally optimistic. He attributes the rapid adoption of clean and cheap energy alternatives, the growth of renewable energy in countries like Africa and the United States, and the increasing use of electric cars globally as evidence of the positive change occurring. However, he also warns that the dangers persist, with extreme weather events becoming more frequent and severe.

Despite the challenges, Gore emphasizes that the answer to the race between the risks and the potential lies in human hands. He believes that society changes when a new technology becomes cheaper than the old one, similar to the way cellphones replaced landlines. This shift in technology adoption mirrors the growing dominance of renewable energy sources.

While some climate scientists agree with Gore's assessment of both the increasing dangers and the optimistic outlook, they also express concern that the pace of change is not fast enough. The fossil fuel industry's influence continues to hinder the transition to a cleaner future. However, Gore remains determined to undertake the necessary work, even if it takes longer than anticipated.