Al Gore: Fossil fuel industry is "better at capturing politicians than capturing emissions"

Former Vice President Al Gore said Monday that the fossil fuel industry uses its deep-rooted influence over "captive politicians," particularly in red states, as an effort to slow the progress of climate change policy.

Why it matters: Gore has sounded the alarm that corporate giants and some countries are falling behind on their climate commitments, which he partly attributes to the industry's "information war."

• "The climate crisis is a fossil fuel crisis, and the fossil fuel industry is the wealthiest and most powerful industry in the history of the world," Gore told Axios climate expert Andrew Freedman at Axios House Climate Week/UN General Assembly in New York City.
• He added: "They've proven they're way better at capturing politicians than capturing emissions."

The big picture: A transition away from fossil fuels is crucial in the effort to curtail climate change — but the U.S. remains highly reliant on fossil fuels, which provide vital tax revenue, Axios' Ben German reports.

• The industry leverages its legacy economic and political networks "to really control the policy making process," he said.
• Gore cited the landmark Inflation Reduction Act — the largest climate bill in history, passed in 2022 — as a counter-example.
• But he noted another reason: "It's hard," adding, "There are a lot of good people trapped in bad systems."

Zoom in: Gore characterized the expectation that large energy companies will lead the transition away from fossil fuels as "looking for love in all the wrong places."

• He continued, "The fossil fuel companies are not going to lead the way, and these banks and financial services companies are not going to do it unless they get a lot of pressure and policy changes."
• Gore called for funding to be redirected "much faster" toward a green transition.

Extreme weather events, from the intensification of storm seasons to historic flooding, have heightened concerns and prompted a swelling of property insurance premiums.

• Gore said he thinks the pocketbook impact of climate change may move the needle but says he hesitates to give a "full throated" affirmative that extreme weather could prompt policy change.
• "We've already seen so many catastrophic consequences that are exactly what the scientists predicted would occur, and yet, it has not brought us across the political tipping point yet," he said.

The bottom line: Gore pointed to the development of solar energy (he said he has 1,000 panels of his own on his farm) and "significant progress" in battery technologies that extend the time solar and wind energies can be used each day.

• "I am hopeful; I'm optimistic — we're going to win this," he said.
• Yet he noted: "But the question that remains is whether we will win it in time."

Go deeper: Al Gore: "Mistake" to think big oil, gas are part of a climate solution