climate change

I get accused of "hero worshiping" Gore, which I don't think is right, but I do have immense respect for the guy, so I thought I'd say why.

Even now, I don't think people appreciate what a punch in the gut the 2000 election was for Gore. The previous eight years had been spent in the shadow of a pol who had the charm and magnetism Gore lacked, but Clinton did not share Gore's passion for the environment, wasn't willing to put his ass on the line for it, and his poor discipline and unforced errors left much of the rest of their shared agenda unfulfilled. 2000 was Gore's chance to finally control his own fate, to rise to the test for which he had been preparing almost his entire life.

It seems that you cannot pick up a newspaper today without reading about the dire consequences of climate change. The urgent need to address the way we live, eat and work is the central theme to today's question. With a particular focus on the role of politicians in the struggle against climate change, this question asks whether the highest authorities have the power to influence national policies.

Kazuhiro Soda's film, Campaign, The Kawasaki Candidate! is the film behind the question which investigates party politics and election campaigns in Japan.

On Monday the world's leaders conducted a summit on the worldwide problem of climate change and global warming. Among the politicians were Arnold Schwarzenegger, Governor of California, and "An Inconvenient Truth" star Al Gore.

UN chief, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, said that the meeting was a crucial event to promote the priority of environmental issues on the agenda of world politics. Ban Ki-moon sees progress in the commitment of politicians around the world to fight against global warming.

Read more about this historic event on Al Jazeera, AFP, Reuters as well as in the Seattle Times and join the global debate in our forum: Can politicians solve climate change?

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In its annual report the World Conservation Union presents figures about endangered species: The most shocking finding is that approximately 200 more species are facing extinction, compared to last year's Red List. This includes not only animal life but also plant species. The report monitors more than 41,000 species. Among the most endangered species are gorillas, orang utans and corals.

While US President George W. Bush argues that the greatest potential to solve the climate change issue is through nuclear power rather than sticking to Kyoto's milestones, Libya plans to support ecoturism to preserve its fragile marine ecosystem.

Read more about the endangered environment and nature on Al Jazeera, BBC News online, the International Herald Tribune and New Europe.

Join the debate in our forum: Can politicians solve climate change?

The increasing velocity of climate change is just as a alarming as the actual data of the increasing temperatures, the observations on climate change and the increasing production of greenhouse gases. The former are topics that most environmental research and programs focus on, but newer studies suggest, that the timeframe, in which those developments are situated, is also a very important factor to look at.

Read more about it on ScienceDaily and discuss in our forums: Can politicians solve climate change?