Climate change is "getting worse faster than we are mobilizing to solve it," former Vice President Al Gore warned ABC News.
Gore said, however, in an interview aired over the weekend, the good news is "we now have an upsurge in climate activism."
He also pointed to Democratic candidates for president, declaring they almost all "agree this is either the top issue or one of top two issues."
Gore acknowledged climate change is "a global crisis that requires a global response," but insisted only the U.S "can provide the necessary leadership to rally nations around the world to do the right thing."
Gore also dismissed arguments that placing too much emphasis on preventing environmental damage stifles the economy, saying transitioning to green solutions "is the best way to create millions of new jobs."
Gore also discussed his 2006 warning that unless drastic measures were taken, the world would reach a point of no return within 10 years, stressing "the warnings of the scientists . . . unfortunately were accurate."
He said, although "sea level increases are going to continue no matter what we do now . . . we can prevent much larger sea level increases. Much more rapid increases in temperature."
Gore said he had been hopeful before meeting with then-President-elect Donald Trump in December 2016 there could be progress made on climate policy, saying "I did think at the time that there was a chance he might change on climate when presented with the facts. I was clearly wrong about that."
He said he would be willing to meet with Trump again if asked to, but said would do so "without any expectation of reasonableness or responsiveness."