The warming of the planet is the overriding environmental issue of our time , with former vice-president Al Gore playing a crucial role in raising public awareness. Although the appetite for decisive action is growing – except at the White House -- the U.S. is still a long way from a comprehensive response to the challenge. Several Democratic hopefuls in this year’s presidential campaign are stepping up to the plate, but most Republicans are still dithering.

The American Prospect, June 19, 2007 Two Paths for the Planet: Will we rewire the world with clean energy – or descend into political chaos, social disruption and climate hell?

And will Washington get with the program?

Drawing a fine bead on the messenger, a small contingent of global warming deniers has attacked Republican senator John McCain for saying inaction on climate change by the Bush administration has had damaging consequences.

Politicians, business leaders and economists have joined environmentalists in calling for new laws to restrict greenhouse gases. The US administration has thus far rejected these efforts, but momentum for change has been building since the February 2 release of a report by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change that called global warming "unequivocal" and said with 90 percent probability that human activities help cause it.