The Birth of a New Environmental Movement?

2 comments July 8th, 2007

By Rowan Wolf

With the apparent success of yesterday’s Live Earth concerts, one has to ask whether something new is being born. It is reported that the broadcasts reached 2 billion people. That is almost one-third of the population of the planet. If accurate, that is HUGE. Certainly, a third of the planet should be more than a critical mass to DO something.

I have said for a long time that what is needed to make significant change is someone in a position of power to take leadership. Al Gore is doing exactly that, and I believe he is doing it incredibly well. While there are those who would love to see him run for president, I believe he is much more effective right where he is.

I believe that the United States, and the world, needs a high visibility, highly credible, highly connected, voice to actually move us along the necessary path for planetary survival. Al Gore meets all of those requirements and he is fully committed and truly passionate about global warming. He is also totally focused on that ONE THING.

Maybe he could “save” the United States, and maybe he couldn’t, but the Presidency would hamstring is ability to be that leader that is needed.

The release of “An Inconvenient Truth” started an avalanche of change. The words “global warming” now find a presence on the evening news, and even weather reports. The words (particularly in weather forecasts) were assiduously avoided before that. The Weather Channel even has “Forecast Earth” now, which is expressly focused on global warming.

The Live Earth concerts, with its web site connections, and building of neighborhood and community action groups, will hopefully provide a reinvigorated push in the right direction. I am waiting to see what Gore’s next big push will be. I am sure it is planned, and in six months or so, it will be needed. It is too easy for folks to go back to “business as usual.” Further, we do have elections coming up in the United States. I would be amazed if there is not a dramatic effort to push candidates to take up this banner as one of the top (if not THE top) issue for the 2008 elections.

All of this media, and the changes in reporting, are having an effect. While national and global leaders seem to largely avoid the issue of global warming like old socks, the people are not likely to let that happen. Al Gore has recognized that the change necessary is not going to come from the designated leadership. It will only come from a tidal wave of public pressure. Now THAT is a big recognition for a career politician to make.