Today's Date:

Message of congratulations from President Nicolas Sarkozy, to Mr Al Gore and the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC).

was delighted to learn that the 2007 Nobel Peace Prize has just been awarded jointly to Mr Al Gore and the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC).

I offer Mr Al Gore, the IPCC chairman, Dr Pachauri, and 2,000 or so experts who have been working since 1988 on the scientific evidence of climate change my warmest congratulations.

I congratulate the Nobel Committee for showing, through their choice, that today's battle against climate change is a key factor in tomorrow's peace. Through its work, the IPCC has made an indisputable scientific diagnosis of the current warming of the planet and potentially tragic risks this presents for the whole of mankind.

The prize also recognizes Mr Al Gore as a remarkable man. I have already had the chance to tell him, particularly when we met a year ago in Paris, of my huge respect for what he is doing for the protection of our environment. His film and his very many speeches to bring home to everyone the need to start fighting now, setting our sights high, against climate change, before it is too late, have already changed mindsets. Very early on Mr Al Gore was convinced of this issue's vital importance. I am delighted that a great American like him has faced up to his responsibilities and set an example.

The award of this prize places a duty on the whole international community. We must now, all together, under United Nations' auspices, come together and give real substance to our efforts to define a global framework for combating climate warming./.