“A Generational Challenge to Repower America”: Al Gore’s Energy & Climate ‘Moon Shot’ Speech
by Matthew McDermott, Brooklyn, NY on 07.17.08
Al Gore speaking in New York City, 2007. Photo by World Resources Institute.
Today at D.A.R. Constitution Hall in Washington D.C., Al Gore delivered a speech which outlines his vision of how the United States needs another ‘moon shot’ to solve the intertwined problems of climate change and energy independence. Though he doesn’t come out and say it, he even alludes to peak oil.
Here are some of choice quotes from Mr Gore’s speech:
Reliance on carbon-fuels the source of the environmental problems we’re facing
Yet when we look at all three of these seemingly intractable challenges at the same time, we can see the common thread running through them, deeply ironic in its simplicity: our dangerous over-reliance on carbon-based fuels is at the core of all three of these challenges – the economic, environmental and national security crises. We’re borrowing money from China to buy oil from the Persian Gulf to burn it in ways that destroy the planet. Every bit of that’s got to change. But if we grab hold of that common thread and pull it hard, all of these complex problems begin to unravel and we will find that we’re holding the answer to all of them right in our hand.
Why he, and other politicians or former politicians, haven’t backed up to see this picture before boggles my mind.
Renewable energy the solution to climate crisis, economic woes, national security
The answer is to end our reliance on carbon-based fuels. In my search for genuinely effective answers to the climate crisis, I have held a series of “solutions summits” with engineers, scientists, and CEOs. In those discussions, one thing has become abundantly clear: when you connect the dots, it turns out that the real solutions to the climate crisis are the very same measures needed to renew our economy and escape the trap of ever-rising energy prices. Moreover, they are also the very same solutions we need to guarantee our national security without having to go to war in the Persian Gulf.
Again, finally someone as prominent as this is presenting this concept, which is nothing new in the environment and foreign affairs world for some time, to a broad audience.
Best way to use renewable energy is for electricity
The quickest, cheapest and best way to start using all this renewable energy is in the production of electricity. In fact, we can start right now using solar power, wind power and geothermal power to make electricity for our homes and businesses. But to make this exciting potential a reality, and truly solve our nation’s problems, we need a new start.
Hear, hear.
100% renewably generated electricity in 10 years
Today I challenge our nation to commit to producing 100 percent of our electricity from renewable energy and truly clean carbon-free sources within 10 years. This goal is achievable, affordable and transformative. It represents a challenge to all Americans – in every walk of life: to our political leaders, entrepreneurs, innovators, engineers, and to every citizen.
National grid infrastructure must be expanded to areas best suited for renewable development
To be sure, reaching the goal of 100 percent renewable and truly clean electricity within 10 years will require us to overcome many obstacles. At present, for example, we do not have a unified national grid that is sufficiently advanced to link the areas where the sun shines and the wind blows to the cities in the East and the West that need the electricity.
Carbon tax should replace large part of payroll tax
Of course, we could and should speed up this transition by insisting that the price of carbon-based energy include the costs of the environmental damage it causes. I have long supported a sharp reduction in payroll taxes with the difference made up in CO2 taxes. We should tax what we burn, not what we earn. This is the single most important policy change we can make.
U.S. Should rejoin the international community regarding climate change
In order to foster international cooperation, it is also essential that the United States rejoin the global community and lead efforts to secure an international treaty at Copenhagen in December of next year that includes a cap on CO2 emissions and a global partnership that recognizes the necessity of addressing the threats of extreme poverty and disease as part of the world’s agenda for solving the climate crisis.
Peak Oil? In all but name.
If you want to know the truth about gasoline prices, here it is: the exploding demand for oil, especially in places like China, is overwhelming the rate of new discoveries by so much that oil prices are almost certain to continue upward over time no matter what the oil companies promise. And politicians cannot bring gasoline prices down in the short term.
Obligatory memory of the first ‘moon shot’
On July 16, 1969, the United States of America was finally ready to meet President Kennedy’s challenge of landing Americans on the moon. I will never forget standing beside my father a few miles from the launch site, waiting for the giant Saturn 5 rocket to lift Apollo 11 into the sky. I was a young man, 21 years old, who had graduated from college a month before and was enlisting in the United States Army three weeks later.I will never forget the inspiration of those minutes. The power and the vibration of the giant rocket’s engines shook my entire body. As I watched the rocket rise, slowly at first and then with great speed, the sound was deafening. We craned our necks to follow its path until we were looking straight up into the air. And then four days later, I watched along with hundreds of millions of others around the world as Neil Armstrong took one small step to the surface of the moon and changed the history of the human race.
We must now lift our nation to reach another goal that will change history. Our entire civilization depends upon us now embarking on a new journey of exploration and discovery. Our success depends on our willingness as a people to undertake this journey and to complete it within 10 years. Once again, we have an opportunity to take a giant leap for humankind.
Since Mr Gore has not given any specific details about how exactly this energy revolution is to take place, there really isn’t anything to nit pick. However, finally, here is a high profile public figure who has adequately linked energy usage, climate change, and international security.
Perhaps Bill McKibben, quoted in the We Campaign’s press materials, says it more succinctly that I can, “Finally a response to both the science of climate and the economics of energy on a scale commensurate with the problem. This is a plan that breaks us out of muddling, temporizing stalemate and sets a clear path forward towards an imaginable future.”
Access the complete speech text, A Generational Challenge to Repower America.
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Al,
You rule! I wish he had won in 2000. Go Obama!
I think it's about time that someone came out and expressed these views in a highly publicized fashion.
I, too, agree that we cannot sit back and wait for things to change. If we want action, we need to get up and do something. Although there is a movement of people around the US and the world making changes, it's going to take a collective effort to make the difference for our future.
I think most everybody will have points of Gore's speech that they want to argue. Instead, what about continuing in the spirit of what he is sharing and look for solutions instead of putting energy into arguing the nitty gritty points?
Anyone have any ideas that they want to share?
It may be obvious to us, but there are plenty of groups, from coal and oil, to the military-industrial complex, with a vested interest in maintaining the status quo.
And they have a LOT of mony to "invest" in campaign contributions...
Your right, Michael, that is a large part of the political problem. But it doesn't change the fact that what Gore is suggesting is perfectly reasonable from a scientific and economic perspective. To do it in 10 years would take quite a bit of money. Investment in wind, solar, geothermal, wave, and tidal power would need to be several hundred billion dollars per year. Tens of billions beyond that would be needed to upgrade the electric grid. In other words, it would need to be on the cost scale of the Iraq war- only this expenditure would have both immediate and long-term far-reaching positive effects on all of our lives. It can be done, if we choose to do it.
From an engineering standpoint, I'm curious how Gore envisions a renewably-powered America ensuring that energy supply is constant and not weather-dependent. Geothermal and tidal make good base load power generation. I imagine we would need to store a significant part of the energy produced by wind and solar in the form of synthetic fuels, like hydrogen or methanol. Again, we have the science needed for this; it is just a matter of engineering, of scaling up the necessary processes.
Gore got to be 21 when the US was going to the moon. I'm 21 now, and so far in my life I've only seen the US fail to lead, over and over again. If we can really commit ourselves to a project like this, we will be stronger, wealthier, healthier, more secure, and in a better position globally than ever before. So let's do it.
So how do I help convince my government, my power company, and my friends and family to help make it happen?
Anthony-
I am 22 and I completely agree with your statement "I've only seen the US fail to lead, over and over again. If we can really commit ourselves to a project like this, we will be stronger, wealthier, healthier, more secure, and in a better position globally than ever before. So let's do it."
I'm ready to go for it as well...
It's hard to know where to go. I really feel like we are going to have to go through a major lifestyle shift to make all the changes that are necessary. How do you ask someone to do that?
I think a lot of it has to stem from talking about the issues and getting people interested who don't necessarily know about the topics up for discussion.
Couple of points.
This is not a plan: it's a vision.
Germany, Spain, Denmark, and Sweden (collectively) have a clear lead on the USA for renewables - well earned after a decade of diligence.
We are not in a position therefore to lead - only to follow. The hardest part will not be making new technology, but in the scaling up of off the shelf items that are proven to work. Building zoning codes for example are a massive obstacle. For that there are only political solutions.
If you wnat to make a difference NOW, get involved as fast as you can with local government where zoning is established and controlled. Drive change.
A fundamental change in our driving habits is now required.
The Automobile Industry is going to be in the same position as the Airline Industry in the next few months. Unless we get away from gas combustion vehicles, including Hybrids, the automobile industry (as we know it) will die.We need to make drastic moves. America needs to move to ELECTRIC. The vehicles are not as fast, not always as fun to drive, but the move will save Americans money (Billions) and help bring change to our automotive companies. Let's "Be Green"!!!!!!!!!!!! BG Automotive Group Ltd. has a car that will travel 80-100 miles per charge for $15,995. Finally a car that most Americans can afford. Did you know that 80% of all drivers, drive less than 50 miles per day? This new car will cost an equivalent of $0.20-0.25 cents/gallon (depending on electricity rates in your area). Why send $700 Billion per year to OPEC (now buying up U.S. companies) when we can use this money for our schools, health care, social security for all Americans, etc, etc, etc. We can make the difference if WE change.
@Justine: your point is of course fairly on target, but two counterpoints:
"We cannot lead we can only follow" is not much of a political rallying cry. We're trying to generate a little bit of patriotic enthusiasm for this kind of project here. Don't spoil it!
And second of course: do you really think if the US put some seriously focused resources into this field, that we wouldn't be "leading" the Danes and Swedes pretty quickly? I think the same probably goes for Germany too when it comes down to it. Scientific and technical knowledge flows around pretty easily, and there's no place better in the world for rapid advancement than the US's university-techno-corporate axis...
Just read the full speech on Huffington Post website. I agree with him on all points. But even if I disagree with him....it does not change the facts as they have been clearly laid before us. That is what we need to keep in mind....whenever you hear the viewpoint that we should open up more drilling or coal mining....we must remind those people of the facts of climate change. We must leave the carbon based fuel sources in the ground.
Knowing the facts, I believe it is wrong to take any additional coal / oil out of the ground and burn it, when we have before us the technology to do otherwise.
A thought that has been bothering me for a long time is this: yes we have the capacity and technology to burn the oil and coal. But do we have the RIGHT to do this? How can I justify running my car each day when I know full well that by doing so, I am personally sending up the pollution into the air that my kids and grandkids will suffer from and have to deal with? I feel silly doing this in full view of my neighbors....we must take the blinders off.
All valid points raised here..however unless the
status quo of pocket politics is changed, which can only be achieved by mass popular opposition,
the power brokers making billions from the current relationship between the white house and the middle east will continue to buy the politics neccesary to prevent change.
If the president of Sudan can be brought before the world court for genocide so can Bush and his cronies..open up pandoras box..everyone knows that there is enough evidence to institute a transparent investigation of the current leadership and to secure an impeachment...
The article by Al Gore is one of the most sensible and inspirational things I have read in my life!
In this age of endless America (and UK) bashing in the media is seems to me that you folks 'over there' have forgotten that you DID put a man on the moon, you DID help save the free world (twice) and have a history of GREAT success in almost everything you have attempted when you had clearly stated goals and used great ambition.
If the USA can pick up this challenge and run with it, there is hope for us all.
GO AMERICA GO!
coming from someones mouth with a $250,000 electric bill every year.... I can't believe anything from Al's mouth as truth because he doesn't practice what he preachs
its about time somebody has a real plan,it's time to gets serious about this . how high will oil get before this country "gets it"?i think most people are ready for this,when will the politicions and the government "get it"?
Now this challenge is what I'm talking about....this is a challenge that I think the country needs, and can get behind if presented in the spirit of how we can help ourselves, the country, and consequently the world. Now...to put a plan to the vision. Political action is a must!!!! So let's not talk or argue it to death.....let's just do it!!!
Al Gore is, perhaps, in a a good position to offer a bold challenge. He can't be held accountable if no one listens since he doesn't hold any position of authority to pursue what he is preaching. Should something be done to take him up on his challenge, ie get the government to spend money on renewable sources of energy, and it falls short, he can blame government officials and special interests for the failure while taking credit for any positive resutls.
His challenge is a bit unrealistic, however, given the scale of what needs to be changed in our country and the range of other needs on which this country should spend public money (health, education, security, etc.). I believe Gore's dire predictions of short term calamity are over stated, but I don't dispute that science basically agrees that the earth's average temperature rise over the past century has occurred. It just isn't clear that humans are the major cause of this compared to all other natural causes (which by the way have caused major calamities in the earth's history in which large numbers of animal and plant species has disappeared - before humankind roamed the earth).
Dont' get me wrong, I think the use of renewable energy sources needs to be expanded, but in a pragmatic manner and not primarily with public revenues as the key source of funding. It should be based on personal interest and if fossil fuels are getting expensive, find something that is less expensive or more holistic with your own sense of well being. Everyone needs to look how they use energy, find ways to conserve, and find ways maintaining their sense of lifestyle and livelihood while helping the less fortunate to improve their position on earth.
As Al Gore mentions above, in 1969, this nation had achieved something astounding by having the first man set foot on the moon. In order to achieve the goal, our nation designated resources to achieve what seemed impossible. The US has always managed to overcome challenges. As a society, we need to collectively decide how to reduce our dependence on foreign energy imports. In order to achieve this goal, we must use domestic resources and develop an alternative energy infrastructure – guiding us towards a cleaner, sustainable energy infrastructure.
As a representative of the Hydrogen Education Foundation, I am helping people to understand that just as financial advisors recommend that people should diversify a financial portfolio, as a society, we should explore and develop a range of energy alternatives including wind, solar, hydro, and other alternatives. Incorporating hydrogen within the United States’ energy portfolio will simultaneously reduce dependence on energy imports while improving the country’s carbon footprint by reducing greenhouse gases released into the atmosphere and spark economic development.
As we have mentioned before, hydrogen’s versatility as an energy carrier, not an energy source, makes it accessible for use in different applications. Separate from the frequent emphasis on hydrogen cars, the reality is hydrogen can be used to power many applications. The next cell phone call you make could be powered by hydrogen since fuel cell power supplies support cell phone towers. The next time you shop at Wal-Mart the box of Oreo cookies and the new Blue Ray movie you purchase could be transported with a fuel cell forklift, or may have been driven across the country on a semi-truck using a hydrogen injection system.
To learn more about the benefits of hydrogen, we invite everyone to please visit and ask us questions at www.h2andyou.org.