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Al Gore has proposed that anxiety of being bullied from Donald Trump may have prompted the Microsoft founder to row back on his climate crisis position.

Describing Trump as “an exceptionally unethical commander-in-chief”, Gore cautioned that the president’s promotion of oil and gas and retreat from renewable energy is “significantly hurting” the American economic system.

Environmental Harm and Economic Impact

In an discussion at the Cop30 United Nations climate summit, Gore remarked, “The president’s currently causing a lot of damage on the climate. Maybe the largest impact he’s doing is to the U.S. itself.”

He highlighted that China is now exporting green technology with a cumulative export value that surpasses all fossil fuel exports from the U.S., a trend that is accelerating quite dramatically.

Bill Gates’ Controversial Shift

The tech billionaire, formerly a prominent voice in environmental efforts, recently stated for pushing the environmental emergency to a lower priority, to focus on health issues.

Gore voiced bewilderment at this change, saying, “The idea of slowing down on climate again surprised environmental experts that I know and respect.”

“Yeah, Trump loves it. That may be what the billionaire aimed at.”

Gore noted that after the president’s return to office, Gates let go of most of his climate staffers, visited the White House, and offered compliments on Trump.

Concern Over Backlash

Gore suggested that Gates, like other ultra-wealthy business people, may be fearful of being bullied by Trump. “It may be that he is really worried that Trump will bully him,” Gore remarked.

Trump responded to Gates’ reversal with supportive online comments.

Gore added, “The only rave review of what he released last week was from the president. Yes, he approves. That may be what he intended.”

Rejecting a False Choice

Gore underscored that presenting the climate crisis and worldwide health issues as competing priorities is wrong.

“The notion that there is a binary choice between wellness and the environment has been widely dismissed by nearly all experts in this area,” he stated.

“It’s literally insane that nations are requiring taxpayers to fund the damage of part of humanity’s future.”

Gore highlighted that the prestigious medical journal published a report on the same day as Gates’ announcement, detailing the enormous health consequences of failing to address environmental issues.

A Call for Redirected Funding

Rather than diverting funds from climate action, Gore suggested that Gates should advocate for repurposing the massive sums spent on oil and gas support toward health and climate solutions.

“Accelerating solutions to the climate crisis is one of the single most effective ways to enhance wellness in the world,” he declared.

Supporting International Cooperation

Gore strongly supported the UN climate conference process, noting that they accomplish far more than they are given credit for.

“The Cop process serves as a nucleus for industry and NGO groups that assemble every year,” he said. “Numerous groups come up with their own agreements that advance progress.”

“The Cop process itself is one of the principal reasons that the sustainability revolution has accelerated significantly.”

He continued that businesses and nations are pushing ahead with innovations and adopting clean power and other low-carbon initiatives.

Optimistic Trends and Shifting Attitudes

Gore highlighted what he sees as a “shift in attitudes” in the U.S., with many people embracing environmental efforts even as the national leadership undoes them.

He warned that Trump might face a “less obsequious” Congress following recent voting losses for Republican candidates.

“There’s a completely false view circulating that somehow we are losing ground.”

Gore commended Zohran Mamdani for his effective campaign for NYC leadership, saying that while he disagreed with some of his ideas, his campaign abilities were impressively on display.

A Visual Warning at Cop30

At the summit, Gore showed delegates with a visual presentation of horrors caused by the climate crisis.

Standing before a large display showing pictures of recent catastrophes worsened by global heating, Gore stated, “It’s completely irrational that we are letting this persist.”

He raised his voice while displaying images of extreme dry spells in the Amazon, melting polar ice, and devastating weather in Southeast Asia, Jamaica, South America, the Philippines, and the U.S..

“How long are we going to do nothing and keep turning the thermostat up so that these types of disasters get more severe?” he asked.

Preparing for Climate Impacts

Gore stressed the need to both adapt and mitigate, but warned that if we allow this insanity—treating the atmosphere as a dump—some impacts will be extremely challenging to cope with.

Promoting Climate Trace

His primary effort at the summit has been to advocate for the emissions mapping initiative, which monitors global warming pollutants and harmful substances leading to health problems worldwide.

“We are very excited about these innovative technologies,” Gore said. “We possess the tools and the implementation strategies. A few individuals think we don’t have the government commitment, but as I like to remind people, political will is a renewable resource.”