Home > News > 2007 > News Release

For release: October 12, 2007

Canada’s Climate Change Coalition Applauds Nobel Peace Prize Decision

(Ottawa) Climate Action Network Canada – Réseau action climate Canada, a network of more than 50 organizations from across the country working to prevent catastrophic climate change, applauded today’s decision to jointly award the 2007 Nobel Peace Prize to Al Gore and the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC).

“This is another strong signal that we are truly in a climate crisis,” said Steven Guilbeault of Équiterre. “Scientists and campaigners like Al Gore have been sounding the alarm bells for almost 20 years, but many governments still don’t seem to get it.”

“There has been a quantum shift in the world and the Nobel Committee has recognized Al Gore and climate scientists for awakening humanity to the threat of global warming.,” said John Bennett of ClimateforChange.ca “Hopefully George Bush and Stephen Harper will understand the urgency.”

“Climate change is a grave threat to peace and security around the world,” said Graham Saul, of Climate Action Network Canada – Réseau action climat Canada. “This prize sends a clear message to Prime Minister Harper and other heads of government that there is a relationship between promoting peace and security in places like Afghanistan and doing our fair share to fight climate change.”

“The December 10th ceremony in Norway to present Al Gore and the IPCC with their prize coincides with an historic United Nations climate change conference in Bali, Indonesia,” said Clare Demerse of the Pembina Institute. “Bali is a crucial test for Canada’s government. With the world watching, Canada needs to play a responsible part in the global effort against climate change in the next phase of the Kyoto Protocol.”

The Nobel Committee awarded the prize to Gore and the IPCC for their “efforts to build up and disseminate greater knowledge about man-made climate change, and to lay the foundations for the measures that are needed to counteract such change.”

- 30 -