So far Al Gore has declined to name which of the two Democratic presidential hopefuls he is backing for the upcoming election. Hilary Clinton and Barack Obama are well aware of the impact Gore's support could have on their respective campaigns and this is likely on the forefront of their minds (and political agendas) when they discuss green issues such as employment, emissions and renewable energy.

Gore is a superdelegate and the support from an influential leader of Democratic Party such as himself could be the deciding factor in who will go forward with the presidential nomination. Both Clinton and Obama maintain frequent contact with Gore and have stated that he would be a welcome addition to their administration if either was to win the election. However, Gore won't say which of the two candidates he'll give his support to if his vote as a superdelegate is needed.

Regardless of who wins the election, all three leading candidates, including Republican John McCain, have pledged commitment to the issue of global warming, and discussed potential policies such as a carbon dioxide pollution cap and an emissions trading system. The candidates also acknowledge that they will need to find a way to increase public awareness of the climate change issues. Gore recently launched his own efforts to do just that with a $300 million advertising campaign.

"The most important role that Vice President Gore plays for all candidates is to raise the bar very high on what needs to be done to solve this critical problem," said Gene Karpinski, president of the League of Conservation Voters.

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