TBO.com - TBO is Tampa Bay Online

Leaders, Luminaries Gather For Summit

ADVERTISEMENT

The Associated Press

Published: September 25, 2008

NEW YORK - Bill Clinton's annual summit of world leaders and celebrities opened Wednesday with the former president sharing the stage with rock star Bono and dignitaries including Clinton's former vice president, who warned that humanity is struggling in the fight against climate change.
Al Gore pointed to a number of natural disasters as evidence, including storms in Haiti, hurricanes on the Gulf Coast and fires in California.

"Since we met here last year, the world has lost ground to the climate crisis," Gore said at the opening session of the Clinton Global Initiative. "This is a rout. We are losing badly."

The initiative, in its fourth year, draws world leaders, celebrities, activists and scholars for three days of discussions about pressing global issues including climate change and poverty.

It coincides with the General Assembly meeting taking place on the other side of town at the United Nations.

Gore was joined at the opening plenary session by Clinton, Queen Rania of Jordan, President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf of Liberia, Bono and E. Neville Isdell, chairman of Coca-Cola's board of directors.

Bono questioned nations' funding priorities, referring to the proposed federal bailout of the financial industry.

Share this:

Loading Comments...

Email Print

ADVERTISEMENT