Al Gore Predicts Passage of Senate Clean Energy Jobs Act

Gore at SEJFormer Vice President Al Gore predicted Friday that the U.S. Senate will soon approve the Clean Energy Jobs Act that will cut carbon pollution that contributes to climate change.

Speaking at the Society of Environmental Journalists annual conference in Madison, Wis., Gore said there is more bipartisan support in the Senate for the energy bill than is evident. Gore said that several Republican senators, behind closed doors, support a federal clean energy bill.

“I think it’s more likely than not that we will have Senate bill passed and in conference committee by the time the Copenhagen conference takes place,” Gore said. “I think we’ll see the emergence of 60 votes.”

The December Climate Conference in Copenhagen is a step toward replacing the Kyoto Protocol, which expires in 2012. The Kyoto Protocol is an international agreement to reduce greenhouse gas emissions that cause global warming. The Senate will soon begin deliberations on the Clean Energy Jobs and American Power Act of 2009.

We have everything we need, with the possible exception of political will” to solve the climate crisis, Gore said. He called the task of slowing global warming an awesome responsibility.

“Never before in human history has a single generation — those of us alive today — been asked to make such difficult and consequential decisions that will have implications for all succeeding generations,” Gore said. “This is up to us … I believe we are more than up to it.”

Photo via Flickr’s ElsaMary