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Edited on Fri Mar-21-08 05:50 AM by RestoreGore
I wrote this last year right after Al Gore appeared on Capitol Hill to give testimony about the effects of climate change and how the climate crisis is now and will effect this planet. Today is one year since that testomony wherein he explained that the Arctic ice cap should it all go will not come back in any timeframe relevant to the human species. However, I still don't see the urgency that needs to be seen by enough of US to begin doing what we must to mitigate this.
Just the other day, Mr. Gore not only launched The Climate Project-India to continue the worldwide grassroots education many need to inspire action, he also stated in a videoconference that business was leading politicians on this. That is because he is in the private sector spurring on the change that needs to come from the right sectors in order for political will to have that tipping point. Yet, where is the support for all of the work he is now doing on this? How far have we come in one year's time to really stand up for this planet? It is sad to see that my skepticism regarding Congress was true.
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One year ago:
I have to be honest and state that even though I am so very grateful to Mr. Gore for appearing in front of these committees, I am very skeptical about what will come from it from the other side of that table as the only thing many of them seemed concerned about were the coal and nuclear lobbies that support them.
Where was the urgency? Where were the questions regarding solar power? There wasn’t one unless I missed it. Where were the questions that dealt with management of resources in the event of another climate catastrophe? Hurricane Katrina doesn’t seem to have changed much in the halls of Congress regarding the way things are done, so why should we expect any changes now? Where were the questions regarding how soon biofuels will be in our tanks nationwide? The majority of questions dealt with nuclear power and coal, which of course those who make deals in Congress have to support regardless of their affects on our planet. It was only due to the fact that Mr. Gore mentioned rivers in danger in this world that the water crisis was even given a mention.
And of course, they also had to place him on the spot about nuclear too. I wish he would have simply stated that nuclear power is not an option at this point and moved on, because clearly many members of Congress simply do not have a grasp on how urgent it is for us to not only wean ourselves off of oil, but also the very technology that has brought nothing but death, destruction, and disease to this planet. Their questions only proved to me that they have no intentions of shifting their focus on it.
However, aside from that, his plan as delivered to Congress this past Wednesday is also bold and daring and in my opinion not the kind of plan someone running for president in this system would deliver. It is the plan of a man who is totally dedicated to solving this crisis and devoting his time to getting things done regarding that and having it happen as quickly as possible. It is evasive, visionary, necessary, and unlike anything the military/industrial complex would ever truly entertain.
The plan includes:
1. Freezing carbon emissions now
2. Instituting a carbon tax
3. Passing on revenues to lower income groups
4. Signing a strong global treaty ( not named Kyoto) with de facto compliance date being moved from 2012 to 2010.
5. A moratorium on construction of coal powered plants not fitted with carbon capture and sequestration features.
6. Electranet-smart grid
7. “CNMA” or Connie Maes for home buyers
8. Replacing incandescent light bulbs
Please tell me how any of these plans are going to be passed by this Congress this year or for that matter, any year? Will even Democrats from states where automobiles are the prime source of income ever really entertain carbon freezes? Carbon taxes? Carbon sequestration? Raising CAFÉ standards? Cutting emissions by 90% even by 2050 which I personally think is even too long to wait?
All their corporate backers will do is what they always do. Whine that putting such features on their smoke stacks will cost them and therefore force them to pass that expense on to their customers. They will whine it will cut productivity which will then mean cutting jobs if income does not make up for their expenditures, blah, blah, blah. And the wheels continue to spin. At this point, they shouldn’t be allowed to spin their wheels. Al Gore calls this a planetary emergency, and it is not shrill, it is reality for anyone who would dare to look beyond the confines of their own bubble.
It is obvious to me however, that politicians and those without a sense of vision on the whole simply do not have the same sense of urgency about this as those of us who see that expending it now in ways that actually can increase productivity and jobs will also save us in future generations regarding having a planet that can sustain us. These are long term plans not quick fixes and as Mr. Gore stated in his testimony this crisis is not going anywhere. It is here, now, and it must be addressed now not just by Congress, but by all of us as he also stated this is not a political football. But will it be in the way it needs to be in order to truly have a positive effect? Or will that catastrophe have to hit us first?
Now, before go on, I have to state that I was blown away by the guts it took for Mr. Gore to venture back to that den of iniquity for the first time after that same Congress were derelict in their duty in the Congressional chambers in 2001 when saving this Democracy was imperative. His going there showed me that this crisis is indeed more important to him than politics, and perhaps it was also a way for him to get closure as this hearing is now the last memory of his being there rather than the gavel being brought down on our Democracy.
His opening statement was emotional and so very true. What will our children ask when they are adults and look back on this time? Will they see a generation so embroiled in our own selfish pursuits that we had no time to think of the future? Or will they look back with gratitude that we saw the danger and opportunity and acted on it to avert a catastrophe of our own making?
Does Congress truly get that urgency? I think some do, and while I was not totally pleased with all of the questions and discussions on the whole on their part because they truly did not showcase real alternative energy options or delving deeper into other options besides coal and nuclear energy (ocean wave energy is also something I think should be explored but was not discussed) and passing legislation to deal with emissions now, I do see a shift beginning in mindset and that is one positive out of all of it.
However, the time between shifting mindset and solution cannot take much longer. Mr. Gore made mention as well that a political shift can happen fast. Well, Mr. Gore, for the sake of this planet it better happen in Congress this year. Call me skeptical, but I don’t think it will. I do however, think the grassroots and citizens out here are shifting, changing, and acting and that is due for the most part to your inspiration and guidance regarding this on a global scale. The over 500,000 signatures you brought with you will hopefully now be more than just pieces of paper to be forgotten once delivered. Your testimony made it clear that there is an urgent need to wake up to the consequences of our actions. You did more than many would ever do in advocating for this planet. Let’s hope those who needed to hear it take the baton you have passed on to them, and once again, thank you.
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