Former U.S. vice president and climate change activist Al Gore said on Wednesday that biotechnology should play a leading role in improving the environment and addressing major health care challenges.

In a keynote speech at 2010 BIO International Convention in Chicago,Gore focused on the environment, healthcare reform and other pressing global issues.

"For the past 30 years, Al Gore has been one of the most influential voices on sustainability, climate change and numerous other environmental issues," said BIO President and CEO James Greenwood.

"We are honored to have Mr. Gore address our BIO International Convention and share his vision for solving some of the world's most challenging problems through biotechnology innovations that help heal, fuel and feed the world."

Gore has been the leading advocate for confronting the threat of global warming. In 2007, he received the Nobel Peace Prize for his efforts to reduce global warming.

Gore is also the author of An Inconvenient Truth, a best-selling book on the threat of and solutions to global warming, and the subject of the movie of the same title, which is one of the top documentary films in history.

His address is sponsored by California-based biotech giant Amgen Inc., a leading human therapeutics company in the biotechnology industry.

The annual convention, being held this week at McCormick Place, is attracting thousands of researchers, government officials and representatives from hundreds of biotech and pharmaceutical companies around the world. It featured more than 125 sessions and hosted more than 1,700 exhibitors.

BIO represents more than 1,200 biotechnology companies, academic institutions, state biotechnology centers and related organizations across the United States and in more than 30 other nations.