U.S. former Vice President Al Gore is a prominent figure in recent American politics and an accredited spokesperson within the current climate change debate. His governmental involvement spanned from the 1970s to 2000, when he was the Democratic candidate for President. Over his career, Gore supported many Democratic battles for human rights, while his recent engagement in promoting environmental issues has spread awareness about climate worldwide. This essay’s primary focus is on Gore’s commitment to protecting the environment, highlighting his unrivaled skill of conveying clear messages and inspiring people. The paper begins by offering Al Gore’s profile as a politician, even underlining some controversial aspects of his career that tarnish his image. However, Al Gore remains a champion of the struggle for human rights and the environment.
Gore started his political career in 1976, elected for the Democratic party at the U.S. House of Representatives. For the following twenty-four years, he was a leading politician in both Houses of Congress. Gore held several vital roles, including President of the Senate, member of the National Security Council, and Vice President during Bill Clinton’s terms in 1992 and 1996. In the 2000 presidential election, Al Gore ran for the Democratic party and was eventually defeated by George W. Bush. Over his career, Gore supported the most crucial democratic campaigns for human rights, including the right to an abortion and strict limitations on guns. However, Gore’s stance in favor of the death penalty and his vote for military intervention against Iraq during the Gulf War cast a shadow over his image of a human rights paladin.
After losing the 2000 Presidential Election for a few electoral college votes, Al Gore devoted his energy to warning humanity against global warming risks and other environmental issues. Gore’s concern about the climate crisis was not new: he had published Earth in the Balance: Ecology and the Human Spirit already in 1992, before being appointed as Vice President during Bill Clinton’s term. The book offered a global perspective on various issues affecting the planet, including biodiversity conservation, global warming, the ozone layer, water degradation, and waste disposal (Phung and Valdez 82). Free from political commitments, Gore toured and held lessons to raise awareness about the risks the global environment changes pose to humanity. In 2006 Gore released a book, An Inconvenient Truth, in conjunction with a documentary directed by Davis Guggenheim. The movie, “the most high-profile and commercially successful environmental risk documentary of all time,” won two Oscars (Lyons 1156). The following year, Gore was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for his commitment to the problem of human-made climate change.
Al Gore’s prominence lies in the innovative approach to environmental problems, highlighting the importance of each individual’s choices and actions rather than just showing the catastrophic consequences of global warming and other environmental issues. Gore proposes feasible solutions, and his call to be aware of climate risks is vibrant and dramatic (Gore 00:12:40-00:12:45). The former Vice President resorts to several narrative devices to make the urge for a change comprehensible to everyone. Besides solid scientific foundations for his claims, Gore presents himself as the typical risk-aware citizen facing the climate crisis with due responsibility and efficacy (Lyons 1157). He motivates and challenges humanity to reflect on climate problems and act to solve them. His efforts provide a constant source of inspiration for individuals, families, academics, researchers, and professionals. The ability to motivate people towards greater ecological awareness is a quality that seems even more vital nowadays, with the outcomes of human activity on the climate increasingly tangible and threatening.
Al Gore is among the most outstanding contemporary public figures. After a successful career in U.S. politics, Gore has devoted his efforts to promoting environmental awareness worldwide. His voice represents a powerful call for advocating climate concerns, and his efforts are a reference point for educators, entrepreneurs, and individuals. Gore was awarded many prizes, and his consistent and informed work includes lessons, books, and documentaries.
References
Gore, Al “The Case For Optimism On Climate Change.”TED: Ideas Worth Spreading, 2016, Web.
Lyons, James. “‘Gore is the World’: Embodying Environmental Risk in An Inconvenient Truth.” Journal of Risk Research, vol. 22, no. 9, 2019, pp. 1156–1170. Web.
Phung, Thị Thu Ha, and Maria Luisa A. Valdez. “Reflections of Environmental Concern and Sustainability Gleaned from Al Gore’s Earth in The Balance.”International Journal of Advanced Research and Publications. vol. 3, no. 9, 2019, pp. 82-91. Web.