Al Gore

Al Gore was elected the forty-fifth vice president of the United States in 1992. Author of Earth in the Balance: Ecology of the Human Spirit, which warns of an environmental crisis, Gore addressed the first United Nations “Earth Summit” in Rio de Janeiro in 1992. In Part I of the following viewpoint, Gore explores the relationship of people to the earth, arguing that the rapid pace of change on earth may irreparably harm the environment. Gore believes that America must join in a global partnership to foster economic development along with environmental protection, what he describes as “sustainable development.” In Part II, Gore contends that the environment is the world issue of our time, and that it will become a “sacred agenda” in the near future.

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