He said saving the global environment must become "the central organising principle of the world community".
WITHIN REACH
Pachauri, an Indian scientist, warned that the impact of climate change on some of the world's poorest and most vulnerable people could prove "extremely unsettling."
He said warming could lead to widespread extinctions of species and a sharp rise in temperatures of 4.5 degrees Celsius from 1980-99 levels would be "grave and disastrous."
"However, it is within the reach of human society to meet these threats. The impacts of climate change can be limited by suitable adaptation measures and stringent mitigation of greenhouse gas emissions," he said.
Gore said he would urge the U.N. climate conference in Bali, Indonesia, to adopt a bold mandate for a treaty that establishes a universal global cap on emissions and that uses the market in emissions trading to bring about speedy reductions.
He said a new climate treaty to replace the 1997 Kyoto pact curbing gas greenhouse emissions should be in place by 2010 -- two years sooner than now planned -- and heads of state should meet every three months until a new treaty is completed.
He also urged a moratorium on building new power plants that burn coal without trapping and storing carbon dioxide (CO2).
"And most important of all, we need to put a price on carbon," Gore said, urging also a CO2 tax that would be rebated to the people progressively in ways that shift the burden to polluters from taxation of wage-earners.
Gore said the outcome of the battle to save the planet would depend decisively on the two biggest greenhouse gas emitters, the United States and China, making "the boldest moves."
