Support for LAist comes from
Local and national news, NPR, things to do, food recommendations and guides to Los Angeles, Orange County and the Inland Empire
Stay Connected
Listen
Podcasts AirTalk
Al Gore predicts 'The Future'
solid blue rectangular banner
()
AirTalk Tile 2024
This is an archival story that predates current editorial management.

This archival content was originally written for and published on KPCC.org. Keep in mind that links and images may no longer work — and references may be outdated.

Feb 7, 2013
Listen 16:58
Al Gore predicts 'The Future'
Al Gore tells Larry about "The Future," Gore's new book that analyzes six issues causing the degradation of the modern world.

Al Gore tells Larry about "The Future," Gore's new book that analyzes six issues causing the degradation of the modern world.

In his new book “The Future: Six Drivers of Global Change,” former Vice President and Nobel winner Al Gore draws upon his background and observation of the world to identify six issues causing the degradation of the modern world. These “six drivers” are economic globalization, worldwide digital communications, emerging sources of power that are causing a U.S.-centered system power shift, unsustainable economic growth, genetic and biotechnological advancement that is redefining the natural course of human life and evolution, and the disruption of earth’s ecosystems. Gore asserts that because of these drivers, the world is becoming more linked together and is collectively on a downward path of degradation. However, he writes, by analyzing these problems there is potential for change and changing the course of the world. Although these six problems are each given a chapter in his book, Gore also covers topics ranging from cows in Switzerland that text their owners when it’s time to breed, to genetic enhancement and population growth and  income equality issues in the U.S.

Critics have said that Gore’s new book addresses too many topics and only offers vague solutions for the identified problems. Many have also pointed out that although Gore may consider himself a visionary of environmental and economic change, his recent $500 million sale of Current TV to Al Jazeera is hypocritical.  Gore has criticized U.S. media corporations for accepting advertising dollars from big oil, yet Al Jazeera’s owner is the emir of a Middle East country enriched by oil money.  

How does he explain the inherent contradiction?  How accurate are Gore’s predictions? Is he truly a visionary, or does he fall short in offering concrete solutions to the world’s problems? 

Guest:

Al Gore, former Vice President and author of "The Future: Six Drivers of Global Change" (Random House); chairman of The Climate Reality Project, a nonprofit devoted to solving the climate crisis.  His previous books include "Earth in the Balance," "An Inconvenient Truth" and "The Assault on Reason."  He is a co-recipient of the 2007 Nobel Peace Prize.

Credits
Host, AirTalk
Host, All Things Considered, AirTalk Friday
Senior Producer, AirTalk & FilmWeek
Producer, AirTalk with Larry Mantle
Producer, AirTalk with Larry Mantle
Associate Producer, AirTalk with Larry Mantle
Apprentice News Clerk, AirTalk
Apprentice News Clerk, FilmWeek