We should have seen this coming.
On the heels of his interview published yesterday in the 'New Republic' in which a feisty Al Gore criticized the 2008 Democratic candidates for virtually ignoring the issue of Global Warming, Gore today blasted the efforts of world leaders at the recent G-8 Summit in Germany
MILAN (Reuters) - Former U.S. Vice President
Al Gore denounced a deal by world leaders on curbing greenhouse gases as "a disgrace disguised as an achievement," saying on Thursday the agreement struck last week was insufficient.
"The eight most powerful nations gathered and were unable to do anything except to say 'We had good conversations and we agreed that we will have more conversations, and we will even have conversations about the possibility of doing something in the future on a voluntary basis perhaps."'
Does this sound like a man who is satisfied that his signature public policy issue is being adequately addressed by others?
Last week, Gore - to the neanderthals in the Bush Administration and its apologists who still believe that Global Warming is just a theory - while praising German Chancellor Angela Merkel today, had ridiculed and pointed the finger directly at George W. Bush
[He] expressed frustration at President Bush's refusal to embrace tougher emissions standards at the Group of Eight meetings in Germany this week. "Nothing happened," Gore said of an agreement to pursue voluntary emissions standards. "They're still on dead center, and it's mainly because of Bush blocking it."
Can't you just imagine this "enlightened" discussion taking place among the Bush Administration's officials in charge of climate control policies?
Meanwhile, Gore's efforts to combat the threat of Global Warming were applauded in Athens, Greece where the Prime Minister of Greece made this promise
"We have to overcome history and ourselves and make the youth of Greece and the world allies in the titanic struggle to save the planet," said Karamanlis. He pledged that a copy of Gore’s best-selling 2006 book and documentary would be placed in every Greek school. "We are in need of well-informed citizens who will take the time and effort to push policy forward," said the Greek Prime Minister.
Karamanlis said that the government is preparing a plan to make 30 percent of the energy used in Greece come from renewable sources by 2020. It is currently at 11 percent.
In this diary yesterday, Diarist srkp23 reminded us about the following that he'd written in another diary a couple of months ago
I little while back I wrote a diary Al Gore Lays Down a Marker, pointing out that for the first time Al had given a timeframe of "six months" (taking us to October) for evaluating if the Democratic candidates were adequately addressing the climate crisis.
This is precisely what I've observed in his recent interviews and statements. Al Gore's pulling no punches in his criticism of those who deny the virtual fact of Global Warming. And feels strongly that the declared Democratic candidates are only paying lip service to this threat. If he keeps this up, consider it a good sign that he's going to run in 2008.
When all the stars are aligned so perfectly for him, why wouldn't he?
(crossposted at Truth & Progress)
* Update, 11:27pm - Way downthread Linda in SFNM quotes Gore in a statement he made in Milan, Italy today
"In general, the debates have not featured prominently an exchange of views on the climate crisis," Gore said. "If I do my job, it will be the No. 1 issue in 500 days."
My job... which job??? I would say, in addition to making a great president, Al Gore would make a fine poker player! :)