Katrina shows effect of climate change, says Gore [View All]

[AlGore-08.com]

http://news.ft.com/cms/s/7c972c82-27b2-11da-ac98-00000e2511c8.html

By Fiona Harvey, Environment Correspondent

Hurricane Katrina offered “a taste” of the disasters, and the response to them, that the US could expect as a consequence of climate change, former vice president Al Gore said on Saturday.


He cited recent research that found warmer sea surface temperatures - a result of global warming - had strengthened hurricanes and major storms around the world. Speaking at the Clinton Global Initiative in New York, where climate change was one of the key issues under discussion, he also criticised those politicians he said wanted to trim government too far, as weak government was incapable of responding adequately to emergencies.

He said: “Katrina is the first sip, the first taste, of a bitter cup that will be proffered to us over and over again. It is up to us , and it does involve accepting that there is a legitimate role for government.”

Mr Gore spoke out against the proposed suspension of certain environmental regulations, which some have argued are necessary to deal with Katrina's aftermath: “The response to Katrina should not be to suspend environmental laws and to cut taxes once again.”

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