Gore's Challenge

Excerpt from Gore's speech today, stating the goal of transitioning to 100% renewable and carbon free electricity production within 10 years. Audacious indeed. Possible? It doesn't seem so now, but that's really the point, isn't it? We won't know what's possible unless we commit ourselves. No one thought the incredible industrial transformation the US underwent in its entry to WWII was possible, but it was in fact exceeded. What we do know is that a failure to make a dramatic shift like this will lead to accelerating global warming, increasing energy insecurity, 

Some particular things I like in the speech, beyond the paradigm changing scale of it are: a carbon tax at the source of carbon (fossil fuels) offset by decreased income taxes; a focus on green collar job creation; 

His organization, We Can Solve It, has the full text posted, along with some other comments and a useful Q&A.

Dot Earth also has the full speech, annotated with Andy Revkin's thoughts and questions on some of the science and issues raised. The comments at the bottom seem largely worth ignoring, but the annotations raise some good points. Good for get a sympathetic to the general goal, but skeptical point of view, though I think he doesn't embrace the audacity factor as much as I do.

Let's hope this pushes the issue forward in the coming election and puts pressure on Obama to back an alternative energy policy of equal scope and vision.