Our ChoiceEdit
Our Choice is a 2009 environmental policy book by former Vice President Al Gore that argues climate change is a defining crisis demanding swift, comprehensive action. The book outlines a practical path to a low-carbon economy built on efficiency, innovation, and policy tools designed to align private incentives with public goals. It frames technological progress and market-driven reform as the central engines that can both protect the environment and sustain economic vitality.
From a market-oriented perspective, the work emphasizes two core ideas: first, that human ingenuity and private-sector competition are the primary means by which society can innovate away from fossil fuels; second, that energy security and prosperity depend on a predictable, durable framework for pricing carbon, coupled with steady public investment in breakthrough technologies. Critics who favor lower-regulation, growth-first approaches say the proposals risk imposing sizable short-term costs and regulatory burden, potentially harming jobs and competitiveness if policy is uncertain or poorly designed. They point out concerns about the speed and reliability of transitioning to wind, solar, and other low-carbon sources, and about the efficiency of subsidies and mandates in delivering real, lasting results.
Overview
Our Choice argues that climate policy should be steady, strategic, and technologically forward-looking. It lays out a roadmap that blends market incentives with targeted public investments to accelerate energy innovation, cut emissions, and reduce dependence on fossil fuels. The book also emphasizes leadership in international climate policy and argues that domestic action should inspire and prompt cooperation abroad, particularly with developing economies that face their own growth needs alongside environmental challenges. Throughout, the author invokes the idea that a thriving economy and a healthy planet are not mutually exclusive, but rather complementary objectives.
Policy proposals and mechanisms
carbon pricing as a central mechanism to reflect the true social cost of carbon emissions and to guide capital toward cleaner options. The precise design details are debated in policy circles, but the underlying principle is to create financial incentives for businesses and households to shift toward lower-emission choices.
energy efficiency as a low-hanging path to cutting emissions while reducing energy bills, including efficiency standards for buildings, vehicles, appliances, and industrial processes.
Investment in next-generation energy technologies, including developments in renewable energy and support for breakthrough research and deployment. A portion of these efforts is framed as a way to accelerate domestic innovation and maintain energy independence, reducing price volatility tied to fossil fuels.
Modernizing the energy grid and expanding transmission capacity to accommodate a broader mix of power sources, storage solutions, and demand-management tools. The policy architecture is intended to enable a reliable, affordable electricity supply even as the energy mix shifts.
International leadership and cooperation on climate standards, technology transfer, and financing for adaptation and mitigation in developing countries, recognizing that emissions reductions are a global enterprise.
In discussing these elements, the book makes frequent use of terms such as Cap and trade and renewable energy incentives, while also underscoring that growth-friendly policies must be designed to avoid imposing excessive costs on families and manufacturers.
Economic and energy implications
Supporters of the program argue that a well-structured carbon price coupled with predictable policy timelines can unleash private investment in clean technologies, energy storage, and modern grid infrastructure. The objective is to shift capital toward higher-efficiency equipment and lower-emission fuels without derailing growth. Critics contend that politically feasible designs may still raise energy costs, disproportionately affect lower-income households, or dampen competitiveness if global rivals do not adopt similar standards. They emphasize the risk that mandates or subsidies chase technologies before markets can validate them, potentially creating misallocated capital or dependence on government support for long periods.
Concerning energy reliability, opponents worry about the feasibility of replacing a large share of domestically used energy with intermittent sources on a tightly scheduled timeline. They argue that ensuring a steady supply requires not just more green energy, but also diverse, dispatchable options such as nuclear power or carbon-neutral baseload alternatives, alongside credible plans for managing price and supply shocks.
Controversies and debates
The book sits at the intersection of urgent environmental rhetoric and disputed economic forecasting. Proponents argue that the climate threat warrants bold, predictable action that aligns incentives with the public good, stressing that delay can impose higher costs later. Critics, often prioritizing growth and affordability, question the pace of transition and the distributional effects of policy choices. They point to uncertainties in climate science, debate the appropriate balance between mitigation and adaptation, and challenge assumptions about the speed of technological breakthroughs. In this framing, some conservatives view the book’s urgency as a justification for regulatory programs that can be difficult to repeal, while supporters defend the policies as necessary to maintain competitiveness by accelerating clean-energy innovation.
Controversies surrounding the book include disagreements over the realism of its timelines, the sequencing of policy measures, and the degree to which government should steer market outcomes versus letting private capital lead. Proponents argue that carbon pricing and targeted subsidies are compatible with a healthy economy, while opponents warn that imperfect policy design can distort markets, dampen investment, and raise the cost of living for ordinary households. The debates often hinge on assessments of risk, uncertainty, and the proper role of government in guiding large-scale technological transitions.
Reception and influence
Our Choice contributed to the broader public conversation about climate policy by articulating a clear, multi-faceted plan that blended market signals with public investment. It influenced debates about the merits and design of carbon pricing and about the role of government in accelerating innovation. Policymakers, industry representatives, and academics engaged with the work from a variety of angles, using its proposals as reference points in discussions about climate policy and the likely economic consequences of different mitigation strategies. The book’s reception varied by audience, with some praising its pragmatism and others criticizing its assumptions about cost, speed, and the political feasibility of comprehensive reform.
In the public sphere, Our Choice intersected with contemporary policy debates about cap-and-trade legislation and energy strategy during the late 2000s and early 2010s, shaping conversations about how to align environmental aims with growth and competitiveness. The discussion remains part of the historical backdrop to ongoing policy questions about carbon pricing, renewable energy, and the readiness of the economy to absorb a transition to lower-carbon energy sources.