Al Gore to Lead Climate Activists in Global Day of Grassroots Climate Action & Education

Washington, DC (September 10, 2020) – Former US Vice President Al Gore and The Climate Reality Project will mobilize thousands of activists for a global, digital conversation about the climate crisis and the solutions at hand in 24 Hours of Reality: Countdown to the Future.

The Climate Reality Project is partnering with TED on two days of presentations and discussions exploring how the climate crisis, a global pandemic, and systemic racial injustices are shaping this historic moment and the sustainable future within our reach. Beginning at 4pm EST on October 10, climate activists trained by Vice President Gore will continue the conversation started by TED Countdown’s Global Launch (11am EST), sharing updated, personalized versions of the presentation made famous by An Inconvenient Truth to mobilize action on the climate crisis.

For people around the world, 24 Hours of Reality will be a chance to learn what the climate crisis means for their lives and communities. Audiences will have an opportunity to better understand the deep connections between the climate crisis, structural racism, and growing inequality around the world. Countdown to the Future will also demonstrate actionable solutions for solving the climate and justice crises together to create a truly equitable and sustainable future for all.

“We stand at a critical moment in our fight to solve the climate crisis,” said Al Gore. “In order to ensure a just recovery from COVID-19 we must address the other global crises impacting lives and driving worsening inequality. Climate Reality’s global network of grassroots activists champions a vibrant vision for a more sustainable and inclusive future. This year’s 24 Hours is a bold opportunity to show the world this inspiring alternative to a fossil fuel economy – one that values the health, safety, and opportunity of all people.”

24 Hours of Reality: Countdown to the Future is a continuation of The Climate Reality Project’s long-standing 24 Hours of Reality program. Since 2011, Climate Reality has produced the EmmyⓇ Award-winning 24 Hours of Reality broadcast to sound the alarm on the climate crisis and highlight critical solutions at hand today. Last year’s event, 24 Hours of Reality: Truth in Action, brought the program off the screen and into communities around the world for the first time. Climate Reality Leaders organized more than 2068 events in all 50 US states plus Washington DC and Puerto Rico, 77 countries, and Antarctica to bring the message of climate hope to major international corporations, hospitals, universities, city halls, and even the forests of Kuala Lumpur.

“We are in a race against time to address the climate crisis, but the global movement for climate action is strong” said Ken Berlin, president and CEO of Climate Reality. “24 Hours of Reality: Countdown to the Future is a reminder that a healthier, safer, and more just future is within our reach, if we can build the political and societal will for bold and ambitious solutions to the climate crisis. We are thrilled to continue the 24 Hours of Reality program this year, led by our incredible network of Climate Reality Leaders, who continue to work tirelessly toward a more sustainable, equitable future.”

During the COVID-19 pandemic, The Climate Reality Project has shifted its programming online to ensure that those committed to climate action can participate in the movement safely and effectively. 24 Hours of Reality: Countdown to the Future continues Climate Reality’s digital engagement efforts during the pandemic, following two virtual Climate Reality Leadership Corps trainings. Countdown to the Future also coincides with TED Countdown, a global event and call-to-action for individuals and communities around the world to participate in building a healthy, zero-emission future.

Since 2006, The Climate Reality Project has trained more than 27,000 Climate Reality Leaders in 169 countries around the world. This July, more than 10,000 people around the world signed up to attend the Climate Reality Leadership Corps’ first entirely virtual training event, and to accommodate the overwhelming interest in these virtual trainings, Climate Reality recently hosted a second entirely virtual training from August 28-September 3.

For more information about the 24 Hours of Reality: Countdown to the Future, or to request a presentation in your community, please visit  24hoursofreality.org.