The congratulations are pouring in for Al Gore and IPCC in the wake of the announcement this morning that they were “jointly awarded the Nobel Peace Prize today for their work educating the world about global warming and pressing for political action to control it.” In a brief public appearance today in California, Gore “vowed to use the award to speed up needed changes in awareness and urgency in addressing climate change.”

“It truly is a planetary emergency, and we have to respond quickly,” he said.

The Norwegian Nobel Committee characterized Gore as “the single individual who has done most” to convince world governments and leaders that climate change is real, is caused by human activity and poses a grave threat. Gore has focused on the issue through books, promotional events and his Academy Award-winning documentary, “An Inconvenient Truth.”

The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, a joint project of the United Nations Environment Program and the World Meteorological Organization, has been monitoring evidence of climate change and possible solutions since 1988.

Senator John Kerry chimed in and congratulated Vice President Al Gore and the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) for winning the Nobel Peace Prize today: 

“This is not only an incredibly well deserved honor for Vice President Gore, it reflects a global awakening to the urgency of taking action on global climate change. Way back when it wasn’t easy, Al Gore began criss-crossing the country and the planet to help bring the science of climate change to people everywhere in a compelling way. He’s been dogged and tenacious, and with the IPCC he’s stood up for the truth against the deniers and the dividers who want to delay action and risk global catastrophe. Their efforts have rightfully been recognized with the highest honor the world community can bestow on those who help define and meet the great challenges of our time.”

Al Gore’s statement on winning the Nobel is available here.

The naysayers are questioning what raising awareness of Global Warming has done for world peace, but one simply needs to look back to 2004 Nobel Peace Prize winner Wangari Muta Maathai and remember that Maathai, an environmentalist, ”founded the Green Belt Movement, a grassroots environmental non-governmental organization,” which had “planted over 30 million trees across Kenya to prevent soil erosion.”

It’s not rocket science, it’s common sense. With out a sustainable environment, global strife over water, fertile grounds for farming and so many other issues will lead to conflicts around the world.

Related Post: Al Gore Wins Nobel Peace Prize with U.N. Panel on Climate Change

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