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I wanted to know how he thought emerging technologies could reduce carbon emissions, and also curious to hear his opinion of the Green New Deal, a proposal by Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and other Democrats to simultaneously address climate change and inequality. If we do see a large-scale hollowing out of employment in multiple verticals simultaneously, then instead of a government-guaranteed income, maybe we’ll need new policies to compensate people for doing all the work that desperately needs to be done.But what are these technologies that will sharply reduce carbon emissions?The success stories are to be found in the revolution in electricity. We need, for example, a direct or indirect price on carbon pollution.To accomplish that and make all the other changes that are critically necessary, we have to heal the operations of our democracy and get the toxic influence of big money out of the ability of people to think together collectively and make intelligent choices about our future. I'm optimistic that we will see the emergence of new ways to facilitate collective thinking that will enable people to use the tools of democracy to fix the serious problems in the marketplace.Does that mean you applaud the spirit behind the Green New Deal, without necessarily approving its specifics?Absolutely. The label, “a nuclear freeze,” was criticized as simplistic, but it was a very powerful expression of the American people that changed history.Now, think about the Green New Deal. What it encompasses are two things we have to solve: the climate crisis and the opportunity to create tens of millions of new jobs. Now you work out the details.” I'm hopeful and I'm optimistic because we have seen this sustainability revolution already creating much more attractive alternatives to the dirty, dangerous, reckless, polluting processes of the past—and creating new jobs in the process.A few days after our conversation at Desktop Metal, I wrote to Gore to ask what he knew now about global warming that he didn’t know when we first met.He wrote back, “Four things: First, 20 years ago—for that matter, 50 years ago—the essential nature of this existential threat was already clear. I’m more optimistic than ever that we will solve this.”Put so, that seems fair: the time is later than we thought, but technology is more powerful than we had reason to hope, and ordinary people want change.Politician and activist Al Gore answers the Internet's most searched questions about climate change.Backchannel is moving to Wired!
As said here by Jason Pontin