The 2007 nobel peace prize winner supports Oceana

Oceana recently honored Al Gore during the Partners Award Gala in Los Angeles.

Press Release Date: August 26, 2013

Location: Madrid

Contact:

Marta Madina | email: mmadina@oceana.org | tel.: Marta Madina

Al Gore, 2007 Nobel Peace Prize winner, was one of the special guests attending the Partners Award Gala held by the international marine conservation organisation, Oceana, in Los Angeles. Gore received the “Ted Danson Oceana Hero Award”, with which Oceana acknowledged his work and efforts to defend the world’s oceans.

The former U.S. Vice President highlighted Oceana’s work on an international scale, and emphasized the need to support this work in defense of the oceans and to protect them from the direct consequences they suffer from climate change. We’re used to thinking about the harmful effects of excess CO² in the atmosphere. But now we must also think about the chemical transformation of the oceans”, affirms the former U.S. Vice President in his book, “An Inconvenient Truth”.

This chemical transformation is clearly visible in the way the oceans are changing on the inside and out. The coral reefs that are as important for marine species as forests are to land animals are quickly disappearing on a large scale due to global warming”, pointed out Al Gore in his Oscar-winning documentary.

When he received the award from Oceana, Al Gore stressed how important it is for everyone, including governments, organisations, citizens and particularly the media, to acknowledge the seriousness of climate change and the need to react quickly. Al Gore once again emphasised the same message after receiving the Nobel Peace Prize this weekend:We are facing a planetary emergency. The climate crisis is not a political issue, it is a moral and spiritual challenge to all of humanity”.

Apart from Al Gore, Oceana also presented an award to Dr. Daniel Pauly, a scientist of international prestige and member of Oceana, famous for his research in favour of sustainable fisheries management through ecosystem modelling.

The award was presented by actress Angelica Huston. The glass statue was designed by the outstanding artist Dale Chihuly and symbolises the beauty, fragility and uniqueness of our oceans, as well as the work and efforts done by all who support and defend the world’s oceans.

Many celebrities attended the charity gala including Brooke Shields, Angelica Huston, Mary Steenburgen, Elizabeth Banks, Jeff Goldblum, Keri Selig, Emma Rossum and Melissa George, amongst others.