Former US Vice-President Al Gore warns of COP25 failure
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MADRID. Former US Vice-President Al Gore described the United Nations climate summit in Madrid as a crucial opportunity to boost ambitions in the fight against the climate crisis but warned that a current lack of consensus in the international community could lead to failure.
“The fossil fuel companies are using their political power and campaign contributions and lobbying and revolving door system to slow down the changes that are desperately needed,” Al Gore said.
In an interview with EURACTIV’s partner Efe, the 2007 Nobel Peace Prize winner said he nonetheless held on to some hope that an agreement would be landed in the final crunch hours of the COP25, as is usually the case in his experience.
“There is always danger in the final week of these conferences, so that’s not unusual. But I would say it’s a bit more this year than usual,” he said, adding that countries like Saudi Arabia are trying to block progress. “They will not even endorse science. And they’re demanding to be paid for any reduction in their oil output,” he said.
“Brazil is demanding dishonest accounting, double-counting of emissions reductions, they’re the only country making such a demand,” he added.
He described an “absurd” situation, saying we’re trapping as much extra heat in the Earth’s system every day as would be released by 500,000 Hiroshima-class atomic bombs exploding every day.
Al Gore urged Europe and other parts of the world to stop subsidising fossil fuels and back a rapid transition to renewable electricity, electric cars and trucks.
Referring to the intention of Donald Trump’s administration to pull out of the Paris Climate Agreement, he said that under the agreement, this can only be done starting from the first day after the next US presidential election,11 months from now.
“So, this decision is in the hands of the American voters and if a new president is elected, that president could give 30-days notice and the US would re-enter the Paris Agreement,” he said. Al Gore also said he was a “big admirer” of Greta Thunberg, saying her movement is not a “passing fashion”.
[Amaya Quincoces | EFE]
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