Al Gore spoke at the second ECO:nomics conference at the Bacara hotel in Goleta yesterday.

The three-day event brought leading policy-makers and CEOs of green and energy-related businesses together to discuss the new environmental market and the convergence of business and environmental issues. The conference, which began Wednesday, was hosted by The Wall Street Journal and featured interactive conversations between corporate and political leaders.

Three experts from the Journal — deputy managing editor Alan Murray, editorial board member Kimberley A. Strassel and environmental news editor Jeffrey Ball — served as moderators and opened the discussion to audience member participation.

The former vice president and current chairman of Alliance for Climate Protection spoke yesterday, giving a speech entitled “The New Inconvenient Truth.” Gore focused on the negative impact the economic crisis has had on funding for the green revolution.

In addition to Gore, notable participants included European Union President Vaclav Klaus, President and CEO of Ford Motor Company Alan Mulally and Google Chairman and CEO Eric Schmidt.

The conference concludes today with discussions about global responsibility and cooperation, as well as financial challenges facing the green market.