An Inconvenient Truth: The New Moral Debate

In his new film, An Inconvenient Truth, Al Gore argues that global warming is more than an environmental issue, but also a moral one. Combating global warming, he says, "is about who we are as human beings." It isn't just about the politics and the science, he says, but also about our children and our children's children. What kind of world do we want them to live in? However, the film dives into the science and the politics in order to make the moral argument.

The Science

Many of us already know the basics behind global warming. As more carbon dioxide (CO2) and greenhouse gasses are released into the atmosphere, more infrared radiation is trapped, causing rising temperatures.

Since the first studies were conducted in the late 1950s, the atmosphere's CO2 levels have been rising, from about 300 parts per million to 381 parts per million.

But what does this mean? In the film, which is based on a multimedia presentation that Gore has presented worldwide since 2000, Gore illustrates dramatic changes that have already occurred. In Tanzania, the snows of Kilimanjaro mountain have receded considerably over the last 35 years, and scientists predict that the snow could melt and evaporate altogether in as little as ten years. In Alaska's Glacier National Park, glaciers there have completely disappeared, and Gore comments that the park could one day be known as "the park formerly known as Glacier."

The film tracks melting glaciers around the world, including Himalayan glaciers that are responsible for 40 percent of the world's drinking water. Failing to stop a water shortage for billions of people is clearly immoral, Gore suggests.

Global warming has caused an overall rise in temperature that not only produces dangerously-hot record highs in summer, but also warmer oceans.

The link to Katrina and human suffering

Gore explains how warmer oceans cause more violent storms: as water temperatures go up, wind velocity intensifies, and so does storm moisture condensation. He argues that, according to an MIT study, hurricanes and typhoons have increased in duration and intensity by about 50 percent since the 1970s. Gore attributes the power of Hurricane Katrina to this phenomenon, which he says is caused by global warming.

The devastating effects of warming are many, including flooding, drought, wildfires, and animal and plant extinction, even the rise of infectious diseases. Since vectors such as mosquitoes, ticks, algae, and other germ-carrying life forms increase and spread with warming temperatures, they are more likely to come into contact with people and cause disease.

The Politics

The film continuously points out that global warming is the world’s problem; it’s not just an issue for one or a few nations. However, just a handful of countries significantly contribute to the problem, with the United States being responsible for more greenhouse gas pollution than South America, the Middle East, Africa, Australia, Japan and Asia combined.

U.S. vehicles have lower fuel-efficiency standards than Japan, Europe, Australia, Canada, and even China, which is accused of too few environmental controls to balance its quickly-growing economy.

So why is the U.S. so far behind on fuel-efficiency standards? Congress is hesitant to agree to raising the standards; American auto manufacturers claim they’d lose money and jobs and auto safety would be compromised. For more on this, click here.

Senators John McCain (R- Arizona) and Joseph Lieberman (D-Connecticut) have attempted to pass the Climate Stewardship Act, which aims to cut emissions to 2000 levels by the year 2010. Despite its modest goals (scientists say we need to cut emissions by as much as 70 percent in order to stabilize the climate), the Senate has rejected it twice.

As the Democratic Party’s presidential nominee in 2000, Al Gore is a political figure whose attention to this issue adds to its polarization. But more and more, people who used to doubt global warming are beginning to see it as a credible threat. Even President Bush, who questioned the validity of Gore’s claims in the 2000 presidential campaign, has conceded. He even spoke to the value of alternative energy in his 2006 State of the Union address.

What do you think?

How concerned are you about this threat? Do you see it as an environmental issue, a security issue, or both? What should the United States do to address this problem? How much carbon dioxide do you contribute? Why is it so difficult for us to see the big picture?

Your input matters

Your representatives DO care what you think. Especially now -- 2006 is an election year and many representatives will be looking to reconnect with their constituents. Let your congressmen and women know what you think! Give your senators a piece of your mind! To find your reps, click here.

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Article Posted on: 6/10/2006