Posted on 09/17/2005 2:27:17 PM PDT by RWR8189
Hurricane Katrina offered a taste of the disasters, and the response to them, that the US could expect as a consequence of climate change, former vice president Al Gore said on Saturday.
He cited recent research that found warmer sea surface temperatures - a result of global warming - had strengthened hurricanes and major storms around the world. Speaking at the Clinton Global Initiative in New York, where climate change was one of the key issues under discussion, he also criticised those politicians he said wanted to trim government too far, as weak government was incapable of responding adequately to emergencies.
He said: Katrina is the first sip, the first taste, of a bitter cup that will be proffered to us over and over again. It is up to us [to tackle climate change], and it does involve accepting that there is a legitimate role for government.
Mr Gore spoke out against the proposed suspension of certain environmental regulations, which some have argued are necessary to deal with Katrina's aftermath: The response to Katrina should not be to suspend environmental laws and to cut taxes once again.
Kofi Annan, the secretary general of the United Nations, also spoke out in favour of swifter action on climate change. The UN will face stiff negotiations in November at the next round of meetings on the Kyoto treaty on climate change, which binds developed nations to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions. Its provisions expire in 2012, and at present there is nothing to replace it.
The US administration of President George W Bush, which has rejected the treaty, opposes opening up negotiations on its future, calling such moves premature.
In a challenge to the Bush position, Mr Annan said: It is time we began to prepare the next steps, where negotiations are required to bring a multilateral, universal approach [to greenhouse gas emissions and climate change].
Yea...Earth in the Balance Gore. Idiot.
Really? Where did 1935 come from? 1900? Camille? Andrew?
Who's Gore?
Gore and Kofi in 2008. Dream ticket.
Gore is the idiot who didn't do anything about the fact that New Orleans was 20 feet below sea level for 8 years back in the 90's when someone could have done something.
Poor Al. Y'know...ya gotta pity the guy.
President of Nothing.
I believe you are looking at Hitlary going for POTUS while Bill goes for Secretary General.
Al invented weather.
Explain than Mr.Gore why Ophelia,which has spent 1-2 weeks in the ocean,never strengthened beyond a cat 1 hurricane and that only lasted for a day.
Or is it a case where you must ignored any evidence that does not fit the predetermined conclusion?
In other words,liberalism.
Kofi Annan, the secretary general of the United Nations, also spoke out in favour of swifter action on climate change.
translated:
I'm going to propose a committee to tackle global warming containing representatives from 3rd world countries who pollute the most, will constantly bash the US, and to be funded entirely by the US.
Al should know. He's now about the size of a weather balloon.
Babblings of the Village Idiots.
Poor Al. Life is tough when youre an irrelevant sore loser.
That guy actually makes my skin crawl! Very creepy.........
Almost every hurricane expert has noted that we are at the beginning of a new 30 hurricane cycle. Just like global temperatures, there are cycles. And there is very little man does to contribute to it, or that he can do to change it.
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