They have a critical role in making the case for action to avert climate change, former Vice President Al Gore told a convention of philanthropists in Denver.

The Denver Post has reported that Gore spoke Monday at the annual meeting of the Council of Foundations. Gore, 62, made a stop in Denver between a trip to Italy and another to South Africa.

Gore said, "We have to go far quickly, which means we have to get our act together. You have a unique role in getting our act together,"

Foundations and non-profit organizations can do much to provide information on global warming, Gore said.

He further added that the decline of newspapers and increasing dependence on television has "refeudalized the flow of information," creating bottlenecks to news flow.

It was also noted by the newspaper report that Gore, since losing the 2000 presidential election, has won both an Academy Award for the documentary "An Inconvenient Truth" and the Nobel Peace Prize. (With Inputs from Agencies)