globalicity — 14 years ago(October 14, 2011 07:19 AM)

Al Gore Talks Climate Issues in Detroit
Speaks at International Joint Commission Meeting
Updated: Thursday, 13 Oct 2011, 7:54 PM EDT
Published : Thursday, 13 Oct 2011, 7:54 PM EDT
By BILL GALLAGHER
WJBK | myFOXDetroit.com
DETROIT (WJBK) - Former vice president and Noble Peace Prize winner Al Gore sees a global climate crisis.
"I know that it's been made to seem like it's controversial. Really, it's kind of not where the scientists are concerned," he said.
Gore was a feature speaker at the International Joint Commission's 15th biennial meeting.
The International Joint Commission oversees the shared waterways between the United States and Canada. That organization sees climate issues as vital for the Great Lakes.
Water temperatures are rising on the Great Lakes and powerful storms are more frequent.
"These intense storms that we've had, it's not how much rain, it's how fast it falls. That's having a big impact. It's overwhelming our waste water treatment systems. We have to update those to be consistent with what we expect the weather to be, and it has changed already," said Lana Pollack with the International Joint Commission.
Gore compared climate change deniers to tobacco executives, who for decades insisted smoking was harmless. Gore says most scientists accept global warming.
"Every single national academy of science of every major nation in the entire world agrees with the consensus," he remarked.
Gore argues heavy global rains and flooding along with heat and drought are the result of human activity and greenhouse gases.
"95-percent of Texas is in either extreme or exceptional drought. There are 254 counties in the State of Texas. 252 of them have been on fire this year," he told his audience.
Gore says inaction on global warming only makes the problem worse.