By GottaLaff

I’m liveblogging a conference call with Al Gore. I came in 10 minutes late… they never called and I had to get a call-in number.

In progress:

Gore is talking:

The fundamental conclusions are UNchanged in any way. We have to act. The consensus has been attacked by skeptics, but no matter what they blow out of proportion does not change that EVERY academy of sciences in the world has been the same.

We’ve seen the changes, physically for ourselves.

The N.E. snowstorms: They’re evidence of winter! And evidence that the increasing temperatures accelerated evaporation of moisture from oceans, putting it into the atmosphere. Overall moisture worldwide has increased 4%.

The downpours, winds are consistent with warnings from scientists.

We must do something. Rather than spend billions on foreign oil, must invest in clean renewable energy at home.

Security threat must be addressed. Admirals, generals say fossil fuels pose security threats: “Our approach to energy and climate change impact on our national security.”

Our energy $ should go to American businesses. Reduce energy linked conflicts overseas.

Military leaders, including CIA, include climate change in longterm planning.

90 million tons of pollution are dumped into atmosphere daily.

Wind, solar, retrofitting buildings, fuel efficient cars, all can restore U.S. economy and manufacturing jobs (850,000 jobs in fact).

We’re not winning because we have pressure of TIME. Heat build up, etc. means that trapping of heat, we could cross a threshold that would be hard to come back from

We must lead clean energy economy. GM is going electric, but they already chose a Korean co. to supply battery cells for Volt. China is ahead of us. Germany has 5x solar panels than we do.

What to do? A clean energy revolution. Tell our elected officials that we want them to lead. Not bicker.

Sen’s. Kerry, Lieberman, L. Graham are leading, and Boxer playing role.

Reid insisted on passing a bill, isn’t wavering.

It may not have everything we want, but we should call on our leaders to make it as strong as possible. Time to act is NOW.

There is no longer any doubt that pollution affects climate.

Repower America needs your help. Be heard. Call your Senators, write letters, visit their offices.

Demand clean energy here at home. We have a moral responsibility to our kids. Call your Senator. Demand action on clean energy and climate change. Public officials must rise to the challenge, we must demand. We must not lose this fight.

Next few weeks are crucial.

Questions:

Q from Ohio, a steel worker: Urgent need for clean energy jobs. What can we do to keep jobs in Ohio, not outsourced?

Gore: Thank you! Unions have helped lead the way. Steel workers union, for example. Hiring for windmill parts to be installed in midwest. We need changes in U.S. law to counterbalance subsidies for carbon fuel. U.S. perfected technologies, but we go to other countries! We need to keep the jobs here, jobs that cannot be outsourced… like building technologies for what we’re betting on. Industrial Revolution provided jobs, so will Clean Energy Revolution.

Joe from New Hampshire: Small businesses here. Transition means what to them? Will bills go up?

Gore: They’ll go down over time if we do it right. Up? Do nothing, they’ll go up. We’ve had a roller coaster of oil prices over the decades. Production is cut, or embargoed, etc. Gas prices/heating oil prices shoot up. When they go back down, then the sense of urgency dissipates, policies lapse. Other countries don’t have the see saw pattern. Plus, in world energy marketplace, new discoveries for oil rates are down, production rate in middle east declining more rapidly than predicted, while demand goes up. Predictions: Roller coaster will crash, we’re in front car. SO, we need to accelerate shift to low carbon fuel… w/ super grid, wind/solar centers, retrofit homes/businesses… new technologies, we can reduce energy build and become efficient.

Mike in Montana, state rep. and chairman of Dem. caucus in Montana: Historical perspective on how you remain hopeful to get 60 votes for bill.

Gore: People on this call make me hopeful. Thousands! We got calls from Senators’ offices being deluged. You get busy on phones, writing to Senators… Even with all the attacks from deniers… there’s still an overwhelming majority of Americans who support this transition. When special interests create the IMPRESSION they’re the majority, they get their way. But when you do your thing, they get the real picture. The weather patterns/floods, etc. have made an impression on regular people, farmers, etc. Oil is running low, demand high, so they know it’s crazy to continue the way we are, sending troops to Gulf region partly because we need oil… esp. when we have renewable energy here. I’m optimistic because of YOU.

Thank you so much to everyone on this call. Your participation is so important. More depends on the outcome of this vote than on anything I can remember. Thanks for standing up and fighting for the future your children and grandchildren deserve.

Handwritten letters are most effective, asking to pass comprehensive legislation. Then hand deliver the letters during the recess to your senator’s local office.

www.repoweramerica.org/letters for suggestions on how to write them.