That the world's population had quadrupled in the past 100 years partly explained this. Technological change had also had a significant impact on "this shell of the environment that surrounds our planet".He went on: "In the last three weeks, the amount of ice melting in the Arctic has been completely unprecedented. In only six days an area the size of the US state of Florida disappeared; in the week before that, an area almost twice the size of Britain disappeared.
"It's melting 10 times faster than previously recorded. Experts are now saying that if we don't act with urgency, the entire ice cap could be completely gone in less than 23 years."
Mr Gore said that despite all the scientific evidence about climate change, inaction still ruled among governments and business.
Raising his voice almost to a shout, he said climate change was not scientific, political or ideological.
"It's about survival."