Dear ATCA Colleagues

[Please note that the views presented by individual contributors are not necessarily representative of the views of ATCA, which is neutral. ATCA conducts collective Socratic dialogue on global opportunities and threats.]

Post winning an Oscar for his climate chaos film "An Inconvenient Truth," the former US vice-president Al Gore, 59, was awarded the prestigious Nobel Peace prize jointly with the United Nation's Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). The IPCC, established in 1988, is tasked with providing policymakers with neutral summaries of the latest findings and expertise in order to enable them to counter climate chaos.

ATCA and The Philanthropia are delighted with this announcement because we have regarded climate chaos as the number one global risk facing humanity in the 21st century. Al Gore said his Nobel Peace Prize is an "honour" and a chance to "elevate global consciousness" about the threat posed by climate chaos. He said, "it truly is a planetary emergency and we have to respond quickly" and he accepted the award on behalf of scientists -- like those in the IPCC -- who had worked tirelessly for years to get the message about global warming out. "This is the most dangerous challenge we've ever faced," he said, speaking in Palo Alto, California. "I will be doing everything I can to try to understand how to best use the honour and recognition of this award as a way of speeding up the change in awareness, and the change in urgency."

The Norwegian Nobel Committee said it wanted to bring into sharper focus the "increased danger of violent conflicts and wars, within and between states" posed by destabilisation caused by climate chaos. The committee cited "their efforts to build up and disseminate knowledge about man-made climate change". Mr Gore was praised as "probably the single individual who has done most to create greater worldwide understanding of the measures that need to be adopted", through his lectures, films and books. He said he would donate his half of the USD 1.5m prize money to the Alliance for Climate Protection.

Mr Gore's Nobel prize selection has prompted well-wishers and supporters to renew calls for him to stand in next year's US presidential race. Until now, Mr Gore has resisted such calls. US President George W Bush, who defeated Mr Gore in a bitter fight for the presidency in 2000, was "happy" at the "important recognition" for his rival and the IPCC, according to the White House.

The former vice-president has emerged as a leading and tireless global climate campaigner. Mr Gore's 2006 documentary film, "An Inconvenient Truth," was an unlikely box-office hit and won two Oscars. However, his film was also criticised by a British judge this week for containing nine errors and for being considered alarmist.

[ENDS]