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If the world ever manages to win the race against climate change, we may remember December 2007 as the month when we finally got out of the blocks. Right now ministers and environmentalists from 190 countries are meeting on the Indonesian island of Bali, to begin the laborious process of establishing a global climate plan to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Big business is on board — on Nov. 30 the leaders of 150 top firms released a petition calling on governments to establish mandatory caps on carbon emissions. Washington is finally awakening from its slumber, with Congress hammering out the first increase in auto fuel economy standards since 1984, and with the first real piece of climate-change legislation — a bill sponsored by Senators John Warner and Joseph Lieberman — ready for a vote in the Senate.

Podcast

The Presidential Climate Action Project

Bryan Walsh speaks with David Orr, a senior member of the advisory committee of the PCAP, a nonpartisan think tank that just released a report calling for aggressive policies on global warming from the next U.S. Administration

Download | Subscribe at iTunes

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All are advances that would have been virtually unthinkable 18 months ago — but they're still not anywhere near enough. To avert the worst consequences of global warming, we'll need to all but eliminate carbon dioxide emissions by mid-century, and that will require a wholesale change in the way Americans (and eventually everyone else) use energy, work, consume, even live. There's only one person in the world with both the political power and the moral authority to lead such a drastic transformation: the President of the United States. Unfortunately, says David Orr, the head of environmental studies at Oberlin College and one of the foremost green thinkers in the U.S.: "There has been a leadership failure on this issue. It's been a leadership vacuum."

Orr is looking to inspire candidates to fill that vacuum. He is one of the principal architects of the just released Presidential Climate Action Plan (PCAP), an ambitious to-do list on global warming for the next Administration. PCAP calls on the next President to make climate change his or her signature issue, to spend the first 100 days in office preparing America for a post-carbon world, committing the country to cut greenhouse gas emissions 90% by 2050. It's far grander than anything Congress or any Presidential candidate has proposed, but to Orr climate change is a threat on par with World War II, and it demands the same immediate, all-or-nothing commitment — starting with the White House. "There is no room for error and no room for mistakes," says Orr. "We have to get it right quick — or there'll be hell to pay." (Hear Orr talk about PCAP on this week's Greencast.)

The recommendations in PCAP are radical, but not new: cut petroleum use in half by 2020, achieve average fuel economy of 50 mpg, shift the federal government to carbon neutrality. But what makes PCAP particularly impressive is the way it turns the question of climate change away from saving the planet, and toward saving the country. Global warming is too important to be left to the environmentalists — it's a national security issue, an economic issue, even a moral issue. That's the kind of language that can appeal not only to traditional greens but to Republicans, and make climate change a national crusade, not a partisan one. "The barriers are breaking down on this issue," says former Sen. Gary Hart, another senior member of PCAP. "This will require real leadership by Republicans and Democrats alike."

We'll need it. You can't squeeze the sort of sweeping legislation needed on global warming through a divided Congress. But there's every reason for climate change to transcend those differences, if the right President — or candidate — knows how to frame the problem. If you care about America's security first, Orr argues, you want to stop sending billions in oil money to our enemies. If you care about the economy, you want to make sure the U.S. does all it can to create a clean energy sector that could create millions of new jobs. If you're religious, you know that the U.S. — far and away the world's biggest contributor to climate change — has a moral obligation to help the impoverished billions who will suffer first and worst in a warmer future. (And if you care first about polar bears, well, you're probably already on board.) "This is neither a conservative or a liberal issue," says Orr. "This is a national issue."

If you're worried about the price tag of all this, don't be. A recent report by McKinsey found that the U.S. could achieve vast cuts in greenhouse gas emissions at a cost to the economy of less than $50 a ton — lower, if we take advantage of the reduced costs energy efficiency would bring. "The business case of the U.S. is crystal clear," says Ray Anderson, the CEO of the carpet manufacturing company Interface and another senior PCAP member.

The challenge will be finding a leader willing to stand and deliver what Orr calls "the climate equivalent of a house divided speech." You don't find a Lincoln every day, and while the current crop of Presidential candidates takes climate change more seriously than its predecessors — especially on the Democratic side — no one seems eager to make global warming the center of his or her campaign. But that may only happen when Americans make climate change the first of their political demands. The next Administration is already running on borrowed time — and so are we.

How much would could a wouldchuck chuck if a 
wouldchuck could chuck would

Global Warming? yeah, right!

Global Warming is a scam!!!

190 Environmentalists take their private jets to Bali and then they all travel to the conferences in their own Limos. Most probably live in houses that use more energy then a small town and they want to preach to us and tell us WE need to change our habits. When they start using the bus and living in a small house and drive little K-Cars then I will consider it isn't a political ploy.

most of the countries that are going to meet are filled with villiges where there are no sewer systems and the crap runs down the streets to pollute their water suppy. they don't know what global warming is, much less care about how to prevent it. they are just after the money that could potentially be redistributed. i am not saying that it is a waste to be concerned about protecting the planet, but so far all this has been is a scam to suck money from us and blame us and make us feel guilty. don't they know this is america damn it, we have no guilt. lol.

the U.S. — far and away the world's biggest contributor to climate change — has a moral obligation to help the impoverished billions who will suffer first and worst in a warmer future.

that statement should give everyone an idea where this is all heading.

the worlds biggest contributor to climate change they say. nature is the worlds biggest contributor to climate change. humans are a very very small percent, and the US fits into that catagory with china and india and the rest. how dare these ass wipes try to shame us.

OMG!!!! Did you just call Al Gore (The Nobel Peace Prize Winner) an ass wipe????? For the love of Pete, how can you live with yourself????? LOL

I agree. when they start changing their lifestyles I might get a little concerned.

Al Gore, what a joke. he was the laughing stock of the party back when he was VP. remember when he and bush were running for president and sat nite live could't figure out which one to make fun of the most? imagine if that dick wad idiot had become president? some folks have such short memories. all the folks crying that bush is the worst president ever seem to have forgotten about carter.

Yes the Planet is in the warming side of the cycle, but it does take a real ass wipe to think it is caused by man.

I guess when you talk of ass wipes, Gore is about as big of an ass as they come.

I think Edwards runs a close second however.

Oblama sure put Hillary in her place today in the Debates here in Iowa.

Billary walked right into a trap and came out looking like she took a swim in a septic tank.

Are people are picking on her because she is a woman?

NO they are picking on her because she is a loser.

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Go back and reeeeeaaaaaaaallllllly study the flow of power before and after Carters time.

Carters problem was he wouldn't deal under the table. In the end, he was a rabbit in a field of coyotes.

The overt power regards what is the best deal being offered, Republican or Democrat. Even Libertarian or even,gasp, Independant if neccessary. Republicans tend to have more to offer them.

Our voice, as it turns out, still matters. The rub for me is I am influenced as to how to speak.

you keep an eye on them duane. those libs will rob you blind. only thing is they have fancier words for doing it. they call it "taxation" and "universal heath care" and "global warminmg". hey i just thought of something. hypocr.. i mean hilary wants us to worry about universal heath care and the greenies whant us to care for the health of the universe. together they might put all the whores out of business cause no one could F us for as much money as they are trying to. lmao.

Henry Ford was a sly fox. Since the best customers he had were farmers, he thought he would make his cars run on Ethanol. Corn based fuel- cat feeds rat, rat feeds cat.

However, food prices were sure to go up and Big Oil ( Standard, Rockefeller etc) "persuaded" Henry to go petroleum. We could have had a better situation today. Not to mention since food would be so high, we wouldn't be so obese in general.

Then there is the issue of the farting cows. Yes, it is a big deal. The release of methane gas is notable.

Solution?- Ethanol/electric hybrid cars and a few drops of BEANO in Elsies feed trough! LOL

Throw in reprocessed peanut oil to fuel the semi-trucks and I might have a plan.

The Earth is 4 1/2 billion years old, and yet somehow CO2 levels have risen exponentially since the industrial revolution in the past 200 years? While at the same time world population has also grown from 1 billion to 6 billion and vegetation has been cleared to make room for us all?

Not much you can do about it, Mother Nature WILL take care of herself. Sure is a bitch that ice melts at 32 degrees fahrenheit. Better make plans to retire in Arizona instead of Florida...lol.

 
 
 
They don't even know how to spell sprint car 
much less chromoly...http://www.ycmco.com

Yes, how dare you!

The only valid connection is that Algore is "Squeezably Soft In The Head"!

What a terrible insult to Toilet Paper!

ol' henry invented briquets too. does bar-b-q contribute to global warming?

Carter was bumbling fool - but at least I gave somewhat a hell about the american people. this president could care less - and even worse he seems to have the pulse of the people - which is they can't tell their assholes from their elbows..................

but nonetheless Gore is at least trying to achieve SOMETHING to benefit humanity. like I said about demographics............this is not a good place to bring up common sense. whoever thinks it is a scam isn't even in the ballpark - there is little to be gained by such a "scam" - but a hell of a lot more to lose by ignoring it. but you folks rest easy that everytime you rejoice in the good ol' american tradition of proudly filling your vehicle with gas bought from Saudi Arabia - our REAL enemies win a lil bit more...............it is so suprising to see so many race fans not support getting off of massive consumption of foreign oil. when it's no longer viable for reg. people with vehicles to fill up - trust it will be made sure that tanks have 50 years of oil left much more than race cars have 50 days. and for kicks - if you want to view a "scam" - one needs only read about our "project" in Iraq..........

when thinking of how nice it must be to be blissfully ignorant - it is on prime display here..................although its great to see the poor excuses run rampant when events unfold that prove you all wrong. even this government acknowledges that climate change is real - so when conservatives talk about it being a hoax - you are part of a group that must be living on a completely different planet. either way ya'll will have it rough - when you or your future generations have to suffer through it........or you'll see the entire world take action for us not doing anything about it.................ah the good ol' united states of arrogance...............

How much would could a wouldchuck chuck if a 
wouldchuck could chuck would

lol........

How much would could a wouldchuck chuck if a 
wouldchuck could chuck would

Gore is trying to achieve something that benefits GORE !!!

Fenders ? We don't need no stinking fenders !!!

We have to fill our tanks with gas from the Arabs because lefties like you won't let us drill here at home. We have plenty of our own oil that we could be independent, but we can't drill, build new refinery's or anything else that might damage the planet.

Why would the majority of the worlds scientist lie? Seriously....what do they gain by lying?

I'm not a big "the sky is falling guy" but when the smartest men on the face of the earth are all saying the same thing I think it might be time to listen.

Al Gore has spoken: The world must embrace a "carbon-neutral lifestyle." To do otherwise, he says, will result in a cataclysmic catastrophe. "Humanity is sitting on a ticking time bomb," warns the website for his film, An Inconvenient Truth. "We have just 10 years to avert a major catastrophe that could send our entire planet into a tailspin."

Graciously, Gore tells consumers how to change their lives to curb their carbon-gobbling ways: Switch to compact fluorescent light bulbs, use a clothesline, drive a hybrid, use renewable energy, dramatically cut back on consumption. Better still, responsible global citizens can follow Gore's example, because, as he readily points out in his speeches, he lives a "carbon-neutral lifestyle." But if Al Gore is the world's role model for ecology, the planet is doomed.

For someone who says the sky is falling, he does very little. He says he recycles and drives a hybrid. And he claims he uses renewable energy credits to offset the pollution he produces when using a private jet to promote his film. (In reality, Paramount Classics, the film's distributor, pays this.)

Public records reveal that as Gore lectures Americans on excessive consumption, he and his wife Tipper live in two properties: a 10,000-square-foot, 20-room, eight-bathroom home in Nashville, and a 4,000-square-foot home in Arlington, Va. (He also has a third home in Carthage, Tenn.) For someone rallying the planet to pursue a path of extreme personal sacrifice, Gore requires little from himself.

Then there is the troubling matter of his energy use. In the Washington, D.C., area, utility companies offer wind energy as an alternative to traditional energy. In Nashville, similar programs exist. Utility customers must simply pay a few extra pennies per kilowatt hour, and they can continue living their carbon-neutral lifestyles knowing that they are supporting wind energy. Plenty of businesses and institutions have signed up. Even the Bush administration is using green energy for some federal office buildings, as are thousands of area residents.

But according to public records, there is no evidence that Gore has signed up to use green energy in either of his large residences. When contacted Wednesday, Gore's office confirmed as much but said the Gores were looking into making the switch at both homes. Talk about inconvenient truths.

Gore is not alone. Democratic National Committee Chairman Howard Dean has said, "Global warming is happening, and it threatens our very existence." The DNC website applauds the fact that Gore has "tried to move people to act." Yet, astoundingly, Gore's persuasive powers have failed to convince his own party: The DNC has not signed up to pay an additional two pennies a kilowatt hour to go green. For that matter, neither has the Republican National Committee.

Maybe our very existence isn't threatened.

Gore has held these apocalyptic views about the environment for some time. So why, then, didn't Gore dump his family's large stock holdings in Occidental (Oxy) Petroleum? As executor of his family's trust, over the years Gore has controlled hundreds of thousands of dollars in Oxy stock. Oxy has been mired in controversy over oil drilling in ecologically sensitive areas.

Living carbon-neutral apparently doesn't mean living oil-stock free. Nor does it necessarily mean giving up a mining royalty either.

Humanity might be "sitting on a ticking time bomb," but Gore's home in Carthage is sitting on a zinc mine. Gore receives $20,000 a year in royalties from Pasminco Zinc, which operates a zinc concession on his property. Tennessee has cited the company for adding large quantities of barium, iron and zinc to the nearby Caney Fork River.

The issue here is not simply Gore's hypocrisy; it's a question of credibility. If he genuinely believes the apocalyptic vision he has put forth and calls for radical changes in the way other people live, why hasn't he made any radical change in his life? Giving up the zinc mine or one of his homes is not asking much, given that he wants the rest of us to radically change our lives.

Peter Schweizer is a research fellow at the Hoover Institution and author of Do As I Say (Not As I Do): Profiles in Liberal Hypocrisy.

"As long as I can have a fast boat, a margarita 
machine and can light my hair on fire, I'll be just 
fine."

Jason Giambi