Gore Calls For Technology Development To Combat Global Warming
The former Vice President gave an hour keynote speech in front of thousands of security and other technology professionals at San Francisco's Moscone Center, concluding the five-day international RSA Conference Friday afternoon. Gore had asked that media representatives not be allowed in to report on the speech.
However, as Gore delved into the body of his speech, he was interrupted part way through by a group of individuals for several minutes who shouted insults and heckled him from the audience. The individuals were escorted out by RSA Conference staff moments later while chanting and singing.
Quoting what he said was said was an African proverb, Gore said. "If you want to go quickly go alone, and if you want to go far, go together. We have to go far, quickly." Hailing conclusions of scientists, Gore emphasized that the rapid increase of carbon particles could have disastrous environmental effects due to the fact that carbon particles intercept infrared radiation.
During his speech Gore highlighted massive environmental problems, created by a soaring world population and an untold amount of carbon emissions. He underscored that the number of carbon particles have increased exponentially over the last century, noting that the Co2 emissions have risen to 385 parts per million from less than 300 parts per million a generation ago. Meanwhile, Gore reiterated that the Arctic floating ice cap is melting at a pace rapid enough that some scientists have estimated it to disappear entirely in the next five years, while adding, "It's been there for three million."
And it's only getting worse, he said. "It's physics," he said. "Scientists are screaming from their roof tops." "And we're on our way to what?" he continued. A large part of the problem, Gore said, was that governments and businesses are relying on the same outdated technologies to process carbon from more than 100 years ago. These processes have created inefficiencies that are virtually invisible but are responsible for wasting more than 90 percent of the net energy extracted during the carbon process, Gore said.
To address the problem, Gore emphasized that businesses needed to develop information technology that would bring these gross inefficiencies in carbon processing to light -- an endeavor which means that businesses might have to rethink assumptions that making the transition would be too costly or negatively affect profits, he said.
"What I'd challenge you do to is find an opportunity that is inherent in making this change," Gore said. But while businesses have already embarked on changing products and energy processing techniques, Gore concluded by emphasizing that it would take active legislation by the policy makers before this crisis can be fully addressed.
"You change light bulbs but we need to change laws," he said. "We have everything we need to fight this crisis except political will. Fortunately, in the United States, political will is a renewable resource."