Photo Credit: Dai Sugano/Mercury NewsAl Gore spoke in Silicon Valley on Friday, the same day as the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) fourth assessment was released. The report issued by the official scientist consortium concluded that global warming is happening, in large part due to human activity.

However, instead of touting the all too familiar gloom-and-doom global warming scenarios of the future, Gore’s message to Silicon Valley was hopeful. He sees the climate crisis as an opportunity for businesses, and sees green technology as the key to revitilizing Silicon Valley.

According to CNET’s review of Gore’s remarks:

The work already done in information technology, computational science, biotechnology and other specialties that are present in this valley, more than any other place in the world, are going to be the most valuable resources” to combat the crisis, he said. “Just as information technology changed the world, clean tech and green tech right here based in Silicon Valley…you can chart the course and save the future of this civilization.

A report released by the Joint Venture Silicon Valley Network does show that green and clean technologies are already helping the area economy demonstrated by the first significant job increase since the dot-com bust.

The report also found that venture capital funding awarded to clean technology firms increased 266 percent last year, with investments of about $300 million by the third quarter alone.

Via CNET
Watch CNET video of Gore’s talk to Silicon Valley.