Al Gore Announces New Campaign and Worldwide, 24-Hour Event to Mobilize Climate Change Action

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: July 12, 2011 CONTACT: Eric Young, 202-567-6823, [email protected] 

Washington, D.C. -- Today, The Climate Reality Project (formerly the Alliance for Climate Protection) announced a new global campaign to broadcast the reality of the climate crisis and mobilize citizens to help solve it. The campaign kicks off with 24 Hours of Reality, a worldwide, live streamed event on September 14-15.

During the 24 Hours of Reality event, people all around the globe living with the impacts of climate change will connect the dots between recent extreme weather events -- including floods, droughts and storms -- and the manmade pollution that is changing our climate. From Tonga to Cape Verde and Mexico City to Alaska, the event will feature scientists, celebrities, business leaders and concerned citizens, along with former Vice President Al Gore. It will be broadcast live online over 24 hours, in 24 time zones and in multiple languages.

"The climate crisis knows no political boundaries. Ferocious storms and deadly heat waves are occurring with alarming frequency all over the world. We are living with the reality of the climate crisis every day. The only question is, how soon can we act?" said Vice President Gore.

This campaign comes at a critical time. As the impacts of climate change are growing more prevalent, so is the resistance to finding the truth and implementing solutions. Just like the tobacco companies that spent decades in denial that smoking causes cancer, oil and coal companies are determined to sow denial and confusion about the science of climate change, ignore its impacts, and create apathy among our leaders. This event is the first step in a larger, multi-faceted campaign to tell the truth about the climate crisis and reject the misinformation we hear every day.

"Fossil fuel companies and their allies will go to great lengths to deny the fact that climate change is happening now," said Maggie L. Fox, President and CEO of The Climate Reality Project. "But we have one powerful response: Reality. We will dedicate our resources toward educating and engaging the public about the reality of the climate crisis and helping build the global movement for change."

The 24 Hours of Reality event will feature a new multimedia presentation, created by Vice President Gore, on the connection between extreme weather events and the climate crisis. All viewers of the event, online and in person, will be invited to take part in specific activities to help solve the climate crisis. This event will be organized by The Climate Reality Project, a new name for Vice President Gore's nonprofit organization, the Alliance for Climate Protection. Since it was founded, the Alliance has organized more than 5 million members and supporters, while building powerful campaigns such as Repower America and the WE Campaign. The new campaign will incorporate the more than 3,000 activists of The Climate Project who have been personally trained by Vice President Gore to deliver his slide show around the world. For more information, please go to www.climaterealityproject.org