Al Gore said the use of alternative energies was “good for the Jews.”
The Nobel Prize winner and former U.S. vice president also called on Israel to be a leader in the field.
Gore made the comments as part of his keynote address Tuesday opening an international conference at Tel Aviv University on renewable energy.
Asked if renewable energy is good for the Jews, Gore said, “The answer is yes. It’s also good for the Arabs, Hindus, Europeans and Christians.”
He said Israel “should play a leading role in advancing the historic transformation to alternative energy. Israel can and Israel should.”
Earlier in the day, at a private gathering with a high-tech firm, Gore asked why sun-drenched Israel was not doing more to promote solar energy.
On Monday, also at Tel Aviv University, he collected a $1 million prize from the Dan David Foundation for his work in alerting the world to its environmental crisis. Gore said he plans to donate 90 percent of the money to the Alliance for Climate Protection and 10 percent to young researchers.
Accepting the award, he paused to warn his audience that the water shortage in the Middle East was playing a role in the larger climate crisis.
