Jeju Forum 2017 Al Gore to lecture on climate change
By Jun Ji-hye
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Al Gore
Former U.S. Vice President and environmental activist Al Gore will deliver a presentation on climate change-related issues during a special session at the 12th Jeju Forum for Peace and Prosperity.
His session, “Challenge and Opportunity of Climate Change: Is a Better Growth Possible?” is scheduled for 9 a.m. to 10 a.m. on June 1. Interest is on which messages Gore will send to Jeju Island, which has been building the necessary infrastructure and encouraging people to opt for environmentally friendly cars through incentives under the so-called carbon-free island project.
Session participants also will hear Gore’s view on whether sustainable development is possible amid conflicting national interests as the U.S. and China have shown some differences in their environmental policies.
U.S. President Donald Trump has claimed that the climate change argument is false, saying excessive environmental regulations will only hamper economic growth. Accordingly, Trump has vowed to lift the regulations and pull out of the Paris Agreement on climate change. But China is jumping into the renewable energy industry with new policies to build green infrastructure and end the use of coal.
Gore will emphasize the need to be aware of climate change-related problems and call for global cooperation and commitment, given the U.N. World Meteorological Organization said 2016 was the hottest year on record. This means the world is facing new challenges of rising sea levels and natural catastrophes caused by climate change.
After the session, Gore will give a congratulatory address at the forum’s opening ceremony that will begin at 10:20 a.m.
Gore, known for his book “An Inconvenient Truth,” received the Nobel Peace Prize in 2007 with the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change for their work in spreading climate change awareness.
Gore was the 45th U.S. Vice President from 1993 to 2001 under President Bill Clinton.
He founded the Climate Reality Project, a non-profit organization involved in education and advocacy related to climate change, in 2006.