Greenberg: Al Gores Tired Climate Claims

On Monday, April 21, 2025, former Vice President Al Gore took to the stage as keynote speaker at [San Francisco Climate Week], delivering a fiery yet questionable speech that doubled down on his tired, decades-long climate alarmism. He claimed the climate crisis is “basically a fossil fuel crisis”,  while decrying that Africa, with its fast-growing population, has “fewer solar panels installed than the single state of Florida.” He labeled this a “disgrace,” wielding his signature blend of hyperbole and moral posturing.

We value evidence over narrative, and Mr. Gore’s claims, fresh from this San Francisco soapbox, collapse under scrutiny as hearsay, inaccuracy, and exaggeration that ultimately fail to prove his point. His rhetoric is less about science and more about pushing a worn-out, collectivist agenda that distorts reality and dismisses practical solutions.

Start with Gore’s assertion that 80% of the climate crisis is a “fossil fuel crisis.” This precise round number, thrown out with no clear source, smells of rhetorical convenience. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), in its [Sixth Assessment Report four years ago (2021)], roughly estimates energy-related emissions—mostly from fossil fuels—at about 73% of global greenhouse gases. Factor in methane from agriculture, deforestation, and industrial processes like cement production, and fossil fuels’ share drops further. Gore’s “basically” is a snake oil salesman’s sleight-of-hand, inflating the figure to vilify fossil fuels alone. This isn’t science; it’s advocacy masquerading as fact. We champion energy diversity—natural gas, nuclear, and renewables—because we know global energy demands can’t be met by scapegoating one source. Gore’s oversimplification, echoed in his San Francisco speech, ignores the complexity of emissions and the economic havoc his anti-fossil fuel crusade would wreak on both working-class Americans and developing nations.

Gore’s claim also conveniently sidesteps other causes and culprits. Methane from livestock, nitrous oxide from fertilizers, and deforestation aren’t fossil fuel issues but are significant in the overall picture. By fixating on one source, he dismisses real solutions like advanced nuclear energy or improved land management, which we support for their reliability and scalability. His 80% figure isn’t just imprecise; it’s a distraction from balanced policies that prioritize both environment and economy. Gore’s hearsay approach—tossing out a number without evidence—undermines his credibility and insults those who value data over alarmist dogma.

Then there’s his solar panel claim, a melodramatic jab that Africa has “fewer solar panels than Florida”. This is emotional manipulation, not fact. The International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) pegs Africa’s solar capacity at 12.6 gigawatts (GW) in 2022, as reported in its Renewable Capacity Statistics 2023, while Florida, per the Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA), had 12.2 GW. By 2023, the gap was negligible, and Florida’s projected 15 GW by 2024 may soon outstrip Africa’s. Gore’s claim might have been true years ago, but in 2025, it’s outdated and misleading. He’s banking on his San Francisco audience’s emotions, not their calculators, hoping they won’t check the numbers he touted just days ago.

His “disgrace” label is even more appalling. Gore implies Africa’s solar lag is somehow a Western moral failing while he ignores the continent’s real barriers—corrupt governance, weak infrastructure, and limited financing. We know Africa’s continent energy poverty won’t be fixed by blanketing it with solar panels. Reliable energy, including natural gas and hydroelectric, is vital for industrialization and poverty reduction. Solar has a role, but Gore’s fixation on it as a cure-all dismisses African nations’ practical needs. His San Francisco rhetoric reeks of condescension and, assuming Africans need his green salvation over market-driven energy solutions.

Gore’s broader point—climate inequity—falls flat because it’s built on shaky ground. By exaggerating fossil fuels’ role and misrepresenting Africa’s solar capacity, he weakens his case. We aren’t climate deniers; we back innovation like carbon capture and next-generation nuclear, plus market incentives over mandates. Gore’s approach relies on guilting the West while ignoring economic realities. Florida’s solar boom, driven by private investment and state policies, proves what works: not Gore’s finger-wagging, but practical solutions.

Gore’s track record isn’t spotless. His 2006 film, An Inconvenient Truth, predicted dire and catastrophic outcomes—like an ice-free Arctic by 2013—that clearly never happened. His April 21, 2025, keynote follows the same alarmist playbook: inflate the problem, fudge the data, and push impractical solutions. We reject this fearmongering. Fossil fuels, while imperfect, have fueled prosperity for centuries, and a rushed transition without reliable alternatives risks economic ruin, especially for the poor. Gore’s claims are a reminder to us to hold the line against progressive hyperbole. His claims are sloppy, his solar comparison misleading, and his “disgrace” outburst sanctimonious. The climate challenge deserves serious solutions, not soundbites from a San Francisco stage.