WASHINGTON (AP) -- Al Gore, a Democratic favorite for the presidency despite pronouncements that he's not running, spoke out on his signature issue Wednesday, warning of a "true planetary emergency" if Congress fails to act on global warming.

In a return he described as emotional, Gore testified before House panels that it is not too late to deal with climate change "and we have everything we need to get started." By turns folksy and prescriptive, he urged the Democratic-controlled Congress to adopt an immediate freeze on greenhouse gases blamed for global warming.

Gore's return to Congress marked the first time he had been in the Capitol since January 2001 when he was the defeated Democratic nominee still presiding over the Senate in his role as vice president. (Watch Gore compare the planet to a baby with a fever )

The former vice president, who 20 years ago held the first hearings in Congress on global warming, appeared before a joint hearing by two House committees. Later in the day, he was to testify before a Senate committee that includes the current Democratic front-runner for the nomination -- Hillary Rodham Clinton. Another member is its recent past chairman, Sen. James Inhofe, R-Oklahoma, who calls global warming the biggest hoax ever perpetuated on Americans.

Several public opinion polls show Gore among the top three in the presidential race, although he has said he has no plans to seek the presidency again. In 2000, he won the popular vote but lost to George W. Bush when the Supreme Court ruled for the Republican in the disputed election. (Interactive: View one poll's results)

Polls consistently place Gore, the non-candidate, third behind Clinton and Illinois Sen. Barack Obama -- ahead of John Edwards and other declared candidates -- and indicate that much of his support comes from Democrats who would otherwise back the New York senator.

Gore advised lawmakers to cut carbon dioxide and other warming gases 90 percent by 2050 to avert a crisis. Doing that, he said, will require a ban on any new coal-burning power plants -- a major source of industrial carbon dioxide -- that lack state-of-the-art controls to capture the gases.

He said he foresees a revolution in small-scale electricity producers for replacing coal, likening the development to what the Internet has done for the exchange of information. He also advocated tougher fuel-economy standards for cars and trucks.

"There is a sense of hope in this country that this United States Congress will rise to the occasion and present meaningful solutions to this crisis," he said. "Our world faces a true planetary emergency. I know the phrase sounds shrill, and I know it's a challenge to the moral imagination."

Gore gained international recognition with his Oscar-winning documentary, "An Inconvenient Truth," as perhaps the leading spokesman on dealing with global warming. (Read more about Gore's Oscar-night speech)

'Welcome back, welcome home'
A former congressman and senator from Tennessee, Gore received a friendly reception from Democrats in Congress. As he spoke, his wife, Tipper, sat behind him, listening intently and laughing occasionally at lighter-hearted exchanges.

"Welcome back, welcome home," said Rep. John Dingell, D-Michigan, chairman of the Energy and Commerce Committee.

But several Republicans sharply questioned Gore's recommendations.

Rep. Joe Barton, R-Texas, a former chairman of the House energy committee, questioned scientific evidence from Gore's popular film and said cutting carbon dioxide emissions would "provide little benefit at a huge cost," particularly to major coal-producing and coal-burning states.

"A lot of those recommendations are more regulations and more taxation," said former House Speaker Dennis Hastert, R-Illinois, though he added that he agrees with Gore that the scientific debate on climate change is over. "I think we can find answers to use the coal energy, to use the natural gas we have."

Gore said the climate issue should not be a partisan or political issue. He said he saw a limited role for nuclear power, which the Bush administration has promoted, because the plants are expensive to build and "only come in one size: extra large."

He rejected the contention by opponents of quick action on global warming that the United States should only impose mandatory controls on greenhouse gases if China, India and other rapidly developing nations agree to do the same.

"The best way and the only way to get China and India on board is for the U.S. to demonstrate real leadership," Gore said. "As the world's largest economy and the greatest superpower, we are uniquely situated to tackle a problem of this magnitude," he said.

Gore favors a "cap-and-trade" program for the U.S. economy, not just specific sectors such as electricity or manufacturing, which would set an overall limit on warming emissions but allow industry to meet the target by trading pollution allowances.

Congress has nearly a dozen bills before it that call for reductions in carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases.

Gore warns*Congress of impending 'planetary emergency' - CNN.com

Regarding Al Gore's meeting today with congress:

Rep. Joe Barton stated, “I have an article from Science magazine which I will put into the record at the appropriate time that explains that historically, a rise in CO2 concentrations did not precede a rise in temperatures, but actually lagged temperature by 200 to 1,000 years. CO2 levels went up after the temperature rose. The temperature appears to drive CO2, not vice versa. On this point, Mr. Vice President, you’re not just off a little. You’re totally wrong."

(Source: Office of Congressman :: Joe Barton)

Actually, what I believe Joe Barton seems to be implying here is what is wrong.

While Joe Barton might be correct to say that CO2 concentration changes have been shown to lag behind temperature changes by some period of time in the historical data that he points to, he is absolutely wrong to imply that temperature changes couldn’t lag behind (or be caused by) CO2 concentration changes over a period of time.

To imply such a conclusion, in my mind, reflects ignorance towards the well-established observation that CO2 acts as a greenhouse gas.

Al Gore loudly and proudly talks the talk, but repeatedly refuses to walk the walk.

He's a liar, a hypocrite, and an attention whore. Pathetic.

so angry and bitter so early in the day

tsk tsk tsk

why do you insist on being so unpleasant - no matter WHAT the issue or subject?

One big & fat ad hominem.

(Awe, did you now get the attention you crave this morning? )

Why do you refuse to address the FACT that Gore burns up 20 times more electricity than the NORMAL household? Why do you refuse to address the FACT that Gore burns up 10 times more natural gas than the NORMAL household?


The man is a complete fraud, a hypocrite, and a liar.

"Why do you refuse to address the FACT that Gore burns up 20 times more electricity than the NORMAL household?"

Gore does not lead a "normal" life.

If I was 5'10" and weighed 425 lbs, would you pay me for personal advice on Health & Fitness?

If "YES", why?
If "NO", why not?

You're right.

Most people are not blatant hypocrites, like Al Gore is.

Having a big house is not being a hypocrite. Unless you want to put caps on what size a house a person can own....hmmm