COPENHAGEN -- Former Vice President Al Gore this afternoon called for the White House and Senate leaders to set an Earth Day deadline for completing a climate bill.

"As a citizen of the United States, and no more, I will ask those among my fellow citizens who share my sense of urgency to join in asking President Obama and the leadership of the United States Senate to set a deadline of April 22, 2010 -- the 40th anniversary of Earth Day -- for final action of U.S. legislation," Gore said in a roughly 45-minute address. A senior administration official in a background briefing to reporters after Gore's speech said, "We're going to do everything in our power to move it as quickly as possible."

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., has said he wants to bring up a climate and energy plan in the spring after the chamber finishes health care, a jobs bill and likely financial regulatory reform.

Gore also asked ministers and heads of state to move up to July next November's scheduled United Nations conference in Mexico City in order to hasten a binding international climate treaty. "We cannot wait until November," Gore said. "I propose that we meet in July, in Mexico City. But in order to make that meeting a success, we first must make this meeting a success."