The 2007 Nobel Peace Prize awards rightfully went to two environmentalists.

One of them is former American vice president Al Gore whose documentary "The Inconvenient Truth" on the perils of global warming drew our editorial praise in the past.

In naming the charismatic US former VP, the Nobel Peace panel blessed Gore for being the: "single individual who did the most" to make the world aware of the environmental threats and how we can deal with them.

Gore shared the 2007 Nobel prize with another group of environmentalists. They are the United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change which melds together views from scientists from 100 countries to combat environmental despoliation.

Gore became one of the world's known political environmentalists, globe-trotting with lectures and exposes most of his life after his American politics. Our editorial once suggested that "The Inconvenient Truth" is a must-see for all schools and barangays in this country as we wage battle against environmental ignorance of many.

One step further, we enjoin the DENR, to translate the earth-shaking documentary into the vernacular so that its message can be better appreciated by the proletarian hoi polloi. Then have it replayed in all barangays.

What has "environmental preservation" have to do with "global peace," a main advocacy of the Nobel Peace Prize? Other critics like Copenhagen professor Bjorn Lomborg opined that the billions spent for environmental issues could be better used to prevent current pressing problems of the universe. He said 4 million people die of malnutrition and 3 million die of HIV/AIDS related disease every year - compared to only 2.5 million who die from pollution annually. Maybe.

Correctly, however, the Nobel Peace Panel sees the long-term risk of the environmental crisis. For instance, the mass flooding from the melting of the polar caps will subdue vast tracts of land and nations. The displaced populace will then have to compete violently for reduced natural resources (food, water, shelter, medicine) in other unaffected areas. Massive migrations in the hundreds of millions will create socio-economic concerns in the areas of migration - just on the basis of limited geographic space to accommodate all the migrants.

This monumental population surges and destruction of food and infrastructure will eventually threaten the peace and "security of nations." Thus the Nobel Peace Prize.

The current Administration in America is lukewarm to the environmental activism of Gore, a political foe of George Bush in Washington. Busy with the luckless war in Iraq, the Bush administration does not want to push for initiatives it did not start (political insecurity) and as a Republican it is cautious of the cut in profits of Big Business and industries as to be environmentally assertive.

It is insensitive for a nation like the USA, who is the most violative of environmental pollution, not to sign the Kyoto Protocol that would have set deadlines for the reduction of greenhouse-related emissions for specific countries. Thus people are looking at New York senator Hillary Clinton (Gore's Democratic party-mate) - and a front-runner for the American presidential race - to take a more pro-active activist American role in the fight against environmental degradation.

Will she be pro-environment aside from becoming perhaps the first woman-president of America?

It is about time Governments - especially a superpower like America - to be at the lead in the assault against the enemies of the environment. They cannot leave it to private citizens like Al Gore - to wage that lonely battle that threatens many vested interests.

Ronald Reagan, at least in his time, allotted US$4-billion to fund the invention of vehicles run by hydrogen-power and thus less dependent on oil and gas.

Closer to home, by October 21-28 "Team Sinag" made up of fifteen youngsters from the Philippines will compete against 40 countries riding a car designed and built using solar energy (sun) to race across the vast continent of Australia.

The aim is to run the course the fastest route-saving energy - by using the sun's power - from morning till sunset until the course is completed. Vice Perez, who manages the Philippine portfolio of billionaire philanthropist QWarren Buffet and president of the Philippine Solar Car Society Inc. says the race is to encourage a "sustainable transport alternative" in the near future.

We certainly laud these efforts to replace the gas and oil-driven cars and vehicles that collectively contribute one of the most damaging pollutants that cause global warming.

The global fight is on.

In Congress, senator-environmentalist and 2007 senatorial race topnothcer Loren Legarda has filed Senate Bill 1097 making the environmental subject called "Environment and Development" a must-subject for all high school students in this country. That would be a really Green Proposal. Earlier, Legarda's Luntiang Pilipinas, mainly through the youth, had planted 2 million tress all over the country since 1998.

These moves for greater Environment Awareness edifies and challenges us more - that indeed the stakes in this war are too high. Too high for anyone - much less the Global Robocop, the USA - to merely fold its arms in detached abandon.

Because in the race to preserve our Planet Earth - time waits for no one.

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