The end of a decade of the 21st century was the best of times and the worst of times. Finally, America understood the consequences of global warming; a sea change that occurred when it elected a Black president, but in the end, it faced disaster when the subprime mortgage debacle almost brought the financial system to its knees. 2007 - Al Gore Wins Nobel Peace Prize for Work on Climate Change 2008 - Barack Obama Wins Presidency 2009 - America Responds to a Deep Recession