On Tuesday, Reuters hosted a virtual Newsmaker event with Al Gore, Former Vice President of the United States. Vice President Gore joined Reuters Editor-in-Chief Stephen J. Adler and Editor-at-Large Sir Harold Evans for an exclusive conversation about climate change in a post-pandemic world, the racial reckoning sweeping the globe and the coming presidential election. Among the highlights of the discussion:
- Gore said both the pandemic and climate crisis reveal the pre-existing inequities of structural and institutional racism, and the inequalities and the unfairness in the structure and make-up of our economy.
- When asked about climate change's impact on the pandemic, Gore said multiple studies show "the burning of fossil fuels should be understood as a pre-condition for higher death rates from COVID-19."
- On U.S. Senator Kamala Harris as Joe Biden's running mate, the former U.S. Vice President said "I thought it was a brilliant choice. Since the murder of George Floyd and the reaction on demand for change, it has created a new reality. Selecting a woman of color. I think she was a terrific choice."
- As Trump has made unsubstantiated claims that voting by mail will cause widespread fraud, while refusing to say he would accept the election result should he lose to Joe Biden, Gore said he believes the rule of law would hold fast this year.
