In another sign that this year is going to be the year of global warming awareness, Al Gore and the IPCC are sharing the 1.5 million dollar Nobel Peace Prize this year. Gore said he was “deeply honored,” adding that “the climate crisis is not a political issue it is a moral and spiritual challenge to all of humanity,” according to a written statement. Gore plans on donating his half of the money to The Alliance for Climate Protection.

Gore and the IPCC have done more to raise awareness about global warming than just about anyone. The IPCC is comprised of thousands of scientists who have worked to solidify a consensus on just how serious global warming is. Gore has done more than perhaps any single person for raising the issue. Together they have somehow managed to wake up a reluctant nation into starting to realize that something is going horribly wrong, and that we are going to need to do something about it.

Gore said he was “deeply honored” to get the prize, and in my opinion he deeply deserves it. “It’s the climate stupid”, that is nothing is a bigger issue than the climate of the earth. Poverty, health care, terrorism, all of these issues become moot if the very climate of the earth shifts to one that is detrimental to survival. This is not to say that all of those issues aren’t important, in fact they are all intricately involved with climate change.

We need a political leader who will realize this and treat them all with the seriousness they warrant. Unfortunately Gore says he will not run for the presidency, even though there is a movement to draft him. Perhaps someone how doesn’t want to be president, would be the best person for the job. I applaud the Nobel committee for bringing further attention to this vital issue, and hope that this will spur further action to halt human caused global warming.