The evidence Gore presents comes from verifiable and reliable scientific sources. Furthermore, Gore and Guggenheim capitalize on the slide-show format, which makes the material seem somehow more believable than it would in a more sensationalistic format. A slide-show evokes images of university physics classrooms or keynote lectures given by visiting climate change experts. Even though Gore is not himself a scientist, he does come across as professorial and knowledgeable.
Gore underscores the need for both political and personal action. Global warming can be curbed through effective public policy, such as by government restrictions on factory emissions or increased funding for research and development of alternative energy sources. Gore does not try to distance global warming from politics and instead acknowledges the role of politicians in curbing global warming. Global warming is a political issue because only through policy changes can large-scale efforts be effective. Governments need also to form international or regional coalitions because global warming is an issue that inherently transcends national boundaries. Global warming affects all regions of the
Being more aware of energy consumption and relying less on fossil-fuel technologies are some of the ways individuals can reduce their ecological footprint. The obstacles to change include political and economic ideologies that either deny the reality of global warming or deny the need to take any action. Economics is by far the biggest obstacle to global warming: curbing greenhouse gas emissions would cost private corporations and governments countless dollars. Governments are reluctant to interfere in the pursuit of profit because of the risk of economic recession. Moreover, developing nations struggle with the paradox of needing to rapidly keep pace with wealthy nations without burning copious fossil fuels for their burgeoning population.
