Former U.S. vice‑president Al Gore told the Associated Press during New York Climate Week that he believes the world is on the brink of a positive tipping point, possibly marked by the year 2026, as fossil‑fuel use peaks and renewable energy overtakes coal, oil and gas.
Gore compared the fight for a cleaner planet to historic moral movements such as the U.S. civil‑rights struggle, Nelson Mandela’s anti‑apartheid campaign and the push for women’s equality. He said that in those movements, advocates felt despair but kept going because courage is determined action in spite of fear.
He warned that Earth’s warming is accelerating, producing more extreme weather such as heat waves, glacier collapse and the deadly 1,300‑person flood in Nepal. “I’m temperamentally optimistic, but the dangers are extremely grave and getting worse all the time,” he said, describing the events as “like a nature hike through the book of Revelation.”
Gore highlighted the race between old and new power, noting that Africa installs 100,000 solar panels daily, 91 % of new U.S. electricity comes from renewables, and 30 % of all new cars sold worldwide this year will be electric. He added that in Pakistan, a common dowry now includes three solar panels, underscoring the rapid adoption of clean technology.
Three climate scientists echoed Gore’s optimism. Johan Rockström praised the exponential rise in renewable adoption but cautioned that energy demand still relies heavily on oil, gas and coal. Bill Hare of Climate Analytics said progress is rapid but still hindered by the fossil‑fuel industry, while Michael Mann stressed that doomism is the greatest threat and that the work must continue, even if it takes longer than expected.
