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Attack Victims Remembered at Climate Summit; Accused Women's Clinic Shooter Faces Judge; Trump Meets with African-American Pastors; Ranking the World's Polluters; Chinese Worry About Pollution; Saving Africa's Oldest National Park, Gorillas. Aired 1-2a ET
Aired December 01, 2015 - 01:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
[01:00:19]
ISHA SESAY, HOST: This is CNN Newsroom live from Los Angeles ahead this hour. A highly anticipated Climate Summit opens in Paris with the deadly terrorist attack still on everyone's mind. Plus the man accused of shooting and killing three people at the U.S. Women's Clinic appears in court wearing a padded vest.
And Donald Trump tries to win the support of a large skeptical group of African American Church leaders.
Hello and welcome to our viewers in the United States and around the world. I'm Isha Sesay, Newsroom LA starts right now.
150 world leaders are gathered in Paris for a Climate Change Summit. And the UN Secretary General put their tasks in stack terms saying, "We have never faced such a test, the goal is to drop the treaty to dramatically reduce greenhouse gas emissions around the world." The meeting comes just over two weeks after the Paris terror attacks, the 130 victims were remembered in a moment of silence.
U.S president, Barack Obama, linked the battle against terrorism to the urgent need to curve the climate change.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
OBAMA: We salute the people of Paris for insisting this crucial conference go off.
An act of defiance that approves nothing will deter us from building the future we want for our children.
What greater rejection of those who would tear down our world than marshaling our best efforts to save it.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SESAY: We will go now to Paris where Fred Pleitgen joins us with the latest on the terror investigation. Fred, always good to have you on the show.
Salah Abdeslam, the suspected eighth Paris attack that remains on the run but authorities are now revealing new details about his alleged role on November 13th and his movements.
FREDERIK PLEITGEN, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Yes, absolutely. I shared some very important new details that apparently a Salah Abdeslam who we know had apparently quite a large role on the logistics of the Paris attacks, of course renting some of the vehicles that were used in some of those shootings as well as the attack on the Bataclan theatre.
Apparently, he also came to Paris before the attack and bought at least 10 detonators at a firework shop, north of the city. Apparently, he paid about $10 per detonator for them also bought batteries at that shop as well.
Now, he is of course the man who is being sought in a global man hunt but so far, there aren't very few leads us to where he might actually be. Is he already in Syria? Is he potentially still in Belgium? Alexandra Field has that story.
ALEXANDRA FIELD, CNN CORRESPONDENT: The search for Salah Abdeslam, a global man-hunt that's turned up few leads. The sources tells CNN, French Intelligence authorities are now working under the assumption he maybe in Syria but Belgium officials are not convinced, still searching neighborhood in his home town of Brussels.
A day after the attacks at 1 o'clock in the afternoon, Salah Abdeslam turns up here in Laeken, a neighborhood in Brussels. A child who's friend of his, Ali Oulkadi, meets him at this metro station. Oulkadi's attorney says, the man go onto a cafe, and at some point, Abdeslam tells his pal about how his brother, Brahim, has killed people in Paris and then blown himself up.
The man then drive several minutes until the suspect gets out somewhere in the Brussels neighborhood of Schaerbeek, Ali Oulkadi's attorney.
(BEGIN VIDEOCLIP)
(FOREIGN LANGUAGE)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: My client doesn't know how long Salah stayed in Schaerbeek. Actually, he doesn't know if Salah stayed on Schaerbeek, maybe went somewhere else afterwards. My client doesn't know.
(END VIDEOCLIP)
FIELD: A sources clues (ph) the investigation now reveal more details about Abdeslam's alleged role.
In September, they say he seen in Paris. In October, he purchases 10 detonators at a fireworks store, north of the French capital. Two days before the attacks, he's called on a gas station camera and a car used to carry out the plans.
Police say, Abdeslam drove the car to the soccer stadium to drop off bombers before abandoning it in a pedestrian cross walk near the site of one of the attacks. Later, investigators traced his cellphone to the suburb of Montrouge. Days after, in the same neighborhood, they find a discarded suicide vest.
A 130 people killed by seven terrorist to shoot them and detonate bombs on the night of November 13th. By morning, the only living suspect is gone.
[01:05:00]
Salah Abdeslam crosses the border from France to Belgium driven by two friends. Police stopped Abdeslam at the border but eventually let him go, not realizing they had just questioned one of the worlds most wanted man.
PLEITGEN: Apparently he had other attacks in the Paris here quote, "Ready to go including on Jewish areas, on transport network and also on schools as well." So its seems as when the French police raided that apartment in San Denise several days after the attacks that they might have averted other very big terror happening here in the French capital subsequently as well, Isha
SESAY: Yes indeed. And Fred, tuning our attention to COP21, stay to the Paris Climate conference. While there are high expectations, Fred, as you all know, huge obstacles stand in the way of really getting a credible deal.
PLEITGEN: Well, you know what, I think at this climate change conference, the expectations are probably higher and then at anytime that we've seen in recent years. You see the United States especially President Obama more committed than ever to finding some sort of a global binding agreement and also for instance, countries like China with a very positive attitude as well.
There was of course a meeting of between President Obama and the Chinese president that happened yesterday where they were trying to map-out a way forward. But of course, the main issue that always happens as these climate change conferences is the one that defines this one as well
On the one hand, you have to develop countries who were saying, "We need to cut down on a missions." On the other hand, you have to develop ping (ph) countries who say, "In order to develop, we are going to have to use more energy and this is something that the develop countries need to take into account." Now, our own Phil Black is at COP21 and he earlier filled this report.
PHIL BLACK, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Many of the world leaders gathered here in Paris have declared this to be an historic turning point, an opportunity to save the world and future generations who would judge them harshly if they don't reach an agreement here.
These climate talks a different to those that have come before because countries have come in to them, having already pledged what they prepared to do to fight climate change. And those declarations taken together a broadly if optimistically seemed to be a good start.
It is accepted that together, they will not yet help reach the goal of keeping temperature increases to within two degrees Celsius but its hope that here in Paris, they can be locked into an agreement that will act as a framework to please this pledges to review them, to regularly, to ensure that countries are keeping their word, doing all they can that is appropriate to their circumstances.
They're also trying to get an agreement that will give certainty to business, to encourage innovation and investment in green solutions and importantly, an agreement that will give details on how wealthy countries are going to provide $100 billion a year from 2020 to poorer countries to help them deal with the worst consequences of climate change, while also helping them develop economically, improving their citizens lives without having to result to burning fossil fuels
There is a tricky issue here too and that is whether or not all of this should be wrapped up into a legally binding treaty. Many countries, including European countries say "Yes" others including the United States say "No way." There is a lot of detail to be crunch through by negotiators in the coming two weeks but it's hoped, they will get there. Phil Black CNN, Paris.
PLEITGEN: And Isha, of course, one of the countries that many are going to be looking at is India. India is one those countries that is vastly expanding its use of coal, a fired power plants coal energy but also at the same time, is one of the countries that is most likely going to be impacted by climate change with for instance, flooding in coastal areas and of course with that large population also in many ways holds a large part of the key to trying to curve climate change as well.
But again, the leaders here are trying to read some sort of agreement, of course this conference is going to go on for about two weeks, mostly in working groups. And that in the end of it, they all hope that they will make significant progress after a lot of years that have seen mostly stagnation and trying to curve climate change, Isha.
SESAY: It is a huge undertaking, the world is watching, the world is hopeful. Fred Pleitgen joining us staff (ph) in Paris, appreciated. Thank you.
U.S Presidential Candidate Donald Trump met with more than 100 black pastors on Monday. There was plenty of confusion and controversy surrounding the meeting but Trump, true to form, called it a huge success. Our Sara Murray has details on the closed door meeting.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
DONALD TRUMP: We head back last year and I saw a loving that Rome, I see love everywhere I go.
SARA MURRAY, CNN NATIONAL POLITICAL CORRESPONDENT: Despite walking back with his campaign had originally promoted as an endorsement event with 100 black pastors, Donald Trump emerged calling today's closed door meeting a success.
[01:10:02]
TRUMP: We actually didn't think we're going to be having a press conference but we all thought it was such a good meeting, we would do that and we have many, many endorsements that came out of the meeting.
MURRAY: In a lead up to today's get together, several of the pastors invited said they had no intention of backing the GOP front runner or even attending the Meet and Greet.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
PAUL MORTON, BISHOP: If you talk down to women, if you talk a rock down to document an immigrants calling them rapist and then black lives, get them out of here, no you can't represent me. So I don't even need to hear your platform.
VICTOR COUZENS, BISHOP: I have the opportunity --
(END VIDEO CLIP)
MURRAY: Victor Couzens said he came to talk with Trump, nothing more.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
COUZENS: I guess really in comfort upon me to take advantage of the opportunity to query him about exactly the types of things we should expect from a potential Trump administration. I'm not here to endorse Mr. Trump, I am here to have a dialogue.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
MURRAY: The pastor's caution and outright criticism comes as Trumps faces scrutiny for retweeting a racially charged message (ph) --
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
TRUMP: I'm going to protect them, I'm going to protect them --
(END VIDEO CLIP)
MURRAY: -- and suggesting black lives' matter protester deserved to be roughed up at a Trump campaign rally.
Others attending today's meeting said they would attempt to convince their colleagues to support Trump.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
STEPHEN PARSON, BISHOP: Anybody that knows Donald Trump personally knows that he's not a racist, he's providing more jobs for minorities, for Mexicans, for African-Americans. He is exactly what -- not only the African American community needs but what America needs.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
MURRAY: Today, Trump seemed undeterred by the change in plans.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
TRUMP: The beautiful thing about the meeting is they really didn't ask me to change your tone. I think they want to see victory because ultimately this is about, we want to win and we want to win together.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
MURRAY: Meanwhile, Trump continues to face scrutiny for repeatedly insisting, he saw a large crowds of Muslim-Americans celebrating in New Jersey on 9-11.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
TRUMP: I've had hundreds and hundreds of calls and tweets of people that sought and plenty of people sought.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
MURRAY: Now, Trump may not had picked up the 100 endorsements he was hoping for it but he is still picked up a couple before he came down here to Georgia where he got the crowd roaring with his attacks on Hillary Clinton, Bernie Sanders and most of his GOP rivals. Sara Murray, CNN, Macon, Georgia.
SESAY: Well clearly, Trump is no stranger to controversy. His campaign is dealing with plenty of it right now including one, having to do with some gestures, Trump made at the recent rally. Many have said he was specifically mocking a disabled reporter, CNN Jake Tapper spoke to a Trump adviser to get his take on the incident.
JAKE TAPPER, CNN ANCHOR: Trump sided this report from 2001 in the Washington into oppose (ph) from Serge Kovaleski.
Kovaleski is a reporter, he suffers from a condition that limits movement in his arms, that this is Trump at the rally talking about this reporter.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
TRUMP: Think about northern New Jersey draws the Proberzi (ph) written by nice reporter. Now the poor guy, you going to see this guy, "Oh, I don't know what I said. I don't remember." He's going like, "I don't remember, I thought or maybe that's what I said."
(END VIDEO CLIP
JAKE TAPPER: All right, now let's put up, this is a scale photo of Donald Trump from that event and picture of Mr. Kovaleski. Now, Mr. Trump insists, he was not making fun of Kovaleski's disability and he doesn't remember even meeting Kovaleski who covered him in the past but at that --
MICHAEL COHEN: Do you know -- Jake, how many people do you think have covered Donald Trump in the past? Thousands upon thousands --
TAPPER: How many people with that disability? I would guess one
COHEN: Do you really think that Mr. Trump remembers this specific reporter?
TAPPER: He said --
COHEN: The hint here is Mr. Trump himself, said he does not remember --
TAPPER: You said he has a fantastic memory and --
COHEN: And he will certainly does. He sees thousands and thousands of reporters a year but does not remember this guy. Now let me say one more thing here, Mr. Trump donate --
TAPPER: Michael, he said this was trained (ph) by nice reporter. He said --
(CROSSTALK)
TAPPER: -- by a nice reporter, you got to see this guy.
COHEN: He was talking about the article, until he ended up pulling it back which he did for whatever the reason that he did. But let me say this to you --
TAPPER: He said, "You got to see this guy" and then he mimics his injury.
COHEN: Mr. Trump donates millions and millions of dollars each and every year in order to combat disabilities, in order to combat cancer whether it's children or he donates millions of dollars a year.
Mr. Trump is not the type of individual that's going to make fun of somebody's disability. He wouldn't know this guy prior to this entire nonsense --
TAPPER: But we just saw him do it.
COHEN: He does not...
TAPPER: We just saw him make fun with disability.
COHEN: He was not making fun, he was being just speculate which Donald Trump is and he was basically showing the exasperation of a reporter that's pulling back on the story exasperation and basically saying something like, "Oh, now I don't remember, now I don't remember" had nothing to do with disability.
TAPPER: And it just so happened -- but first well he said, "He's a nice guy" and then he said "You got to see this guy" and then he twist his arms to mimic the disability.
COHEN: He wasn't twisting his arm to mimic anything.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
SESAY: Of course he would have -- we'll continue to monitor for you. It's time for a quick break.
[01:15:00] Investigators are trying to figure out, what triggered an attack on women's clinic in Colorado as alleged gun man has his first day in court.
And Chicago officer in charge with murder more than a year after facial shooting leads jail, the detail on the delay on this case are just ahead.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
RACHEL NICHOLS, CNN SPORTS ANCHOR: I'm Rachel Nichols with your CNN world sport headlines.
Kobe Bryant, one of the most famous and accomplish basketball players on the planet has confirmed these season. He's 20th with the LA Lakers will be his last. And lets just stop there for a minute because he is only 37 years old which means he's been playing in the NBA for more than half his life leaving the stage after that kind of career, never easy for anyone, but Kobe acknowledge the injuries that diminished play his endured in recent years, those have taken their tall (ph).
No will surprises on the short list for f FIFA's Ballon d'Or since 2007 only once as the final three not included both Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo but the two of them sharing every award since then.
This year, they're joined by Messi's Barcelona team mate, Neymar who make his debut (ph) on the list. The award will be presented January 11th in Zurich.
One player who didn't make the final cut is Bayern striker, Robert Lewandowski, but maybe he should have. Back in September the pole incredibly netted five goals in nine minutes against Wolfsburg in the Bundesliga. No one had ever done that before and that's why Lewandowski has been awarded for Guinness book records for the quick as hat trick, four goal, five goal home, most goals by a substitute, it's been a good season of the way around for him. He's got 26 goals in 25 appearances so far. And now to look at your headlines, I'm Rachel Nichols.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
SESAY: The man accused of opening fire at the women's health clinic in Colorado is expected to face first degree murdered charges. He made his first court appearance Monday, CNN's Dan Simon has the details.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: That first ride in Japan who's gear (ph) is in right to remain silent.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
DAN SIMON, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Wearing a protective vest and handcuffs 57, year old Robert Dear appeared by video with the Colorado Springs Court room today. (BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Do you have any questions about any of his rights sir?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: No questions.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: OK.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SIMON: Dear look liked he was struggling to stay awake, slowly blinking his eyes as the judge advice him of his rights.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Shot. I'm under fire. I'm shot, I'm hit.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SIMON: Friday's mass shooting in six hours stand off left three people dead -- 44-year old police officer Garrett Swasey, 29-year old Iraq War veteran, Ke'Arre Stewart and Jennifer Markovsky, a 35 year- old mother of two.
[01:20:07]
Nine others were wounded, survivors hid in offices as gunshots ring throughout the building.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
KENTANYA CRAION: Three (ph) hours we have a gun bullet go through our wall, it came through one and went through the other and you could see the gunpowder smell, smell it. I knew it was just frightening at that point.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Dear's appearance calms as an investigators try to determine a motive behind the Planned Parenthood attack. A law enforcement source tells CNN, Dear mentioned something about quote, "Baby parts" and expressed anti-abortion views.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: A lot of people want intact hearts these days.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SIMON: The comments come just months after a series of videos produced by anti-abortion activists accused Planned Parenthood of engaging in illegal fetal tissue sales for research.
The organization has they merely denied that saying the videos were heavily edited. The issue has become a topic of debate on the campaign trail.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: is no excuse, Planned Parenthood must be defunded.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SIMON: GOP candidate, Carly Fiorina, who has been one of the most outspoken critics of Planned Parenthood said, it's irresponsible to link anti-abortion redirect to Friday's attack.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
CARLY FIORINA: Secondly, this is so typical of the left to immediately begin demonizing a messenger because they don't agree with the message.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SIMON: And former Arkansas Governor, Mike Huckabee, who is known for his social conservatism said the attack should not be linked to the Anti-abortion Movement.
BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MIKE HUCKABEE: What he did is absolutely abominable, especially that those of us in the Prolife Movement because there's nothing about any of us that would condone or in any way look the other way at something like this.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SIMON: A law enforcement source tells CNN that investigators are still going over the evidence, evidence that includes a multitude of weapons, handguns, and riffles that the suspect eligibly brought to the scene in a duffle bag.
At this point, authorities are still trying to figure out why that Planned Parenthood was targeted.
Dan Simon CNN, Colorado Springs, Colorado.
SESAY: In Baltimore, the first of six officers is on trial in the case of a prisoner who died in police custody. Jury selection began Monday for William Porter, he's charged with man slaughter assault and reckless endangerment in Freddie Gray's death, he has pleaded not guilty.
Outside the court house, demonstrators gathered to protest. Gray's death in April spot riots in Baltimore and a wave of protest that swept across the U.S.
While Chicago's Mayor expected to announce a police accountability taskforce on Tuesday. This follows the release of dash cam video of an officer fatally shooting a teenager. That officer has been charged with murder and just posted bail. CNN's Kyung Lah has the details of a delay in this case.
KYUNG LAH, CNN CORRESPONDENT: The night of October 28th, 2014, Chicago Police respond to calls of an erratic man with a knife. Six seconds after exiting the Police car, Officer Jason Van Dyke fires, striking Laquan McDonald, sixteen times but this is not the story officers tell that night.
The Police Union spokesman gives the first police account. 17-year old McDonald was shot once in the chest after lunging at police.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
PAT CAMDEN: Going at one of the officers, that point the officer defends himself.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
LAH: An autopsy the following day shows of the 16 shots, nine entered McDonald's back. Officer Van Dyke, the only cop who fired goes unpaid desk duty.
Van Dyke has twenty complaints against him, 10 of them used a forced complaints but all this goes unreported, as the public accepts the Chicago Police explanation and the dash cam video is sealed.
All this, as Mayor ?Rahm Emanuel manual is in the middle of the most contentious Chicago Mayoral race since the 1980s. He wins.
Eight days later, he is there as the City Council votes without any debate to award Laquan McDonald's family, $5 million. The City pays the McDonald family even before the investigation is complete and even though the family had not filed the wrongful death lawsuit. Chicago Alderman, Howard Brookins voted for the settlement, and now says the Council was misled.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
HOWARD BROOKINS: I think that there was a cover up and I think that people were looking out for their own skin.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
LAH: Mayor Emanuel and the prosecutor Cook County State's attorney, Anita Alvarez battle for months to keep the dash cam video under wraps, they lose when the judge orders the release of the video.
Just hours before the video release, the prosecutor charges Officer Van Dyke with first degree murder of full 13 months after the shooting.
The prosecutor says, she'd intended to charge the cop for months but moved up her decision because of the timing of the video release.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ANITA ALVAREZ: I felt compelled in the interest of public safety to announce these state charges today.
BROOKINS: How ludicrous is that? Clear, she was trying to jump this side, get ahead of the release.
[01:25:02]
It does make me angry that people who are charged with the public trust in protecting the people and decent out equal justice under the law of plan petty politics with the issues that is so serious.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
LAH: Kyung Lah, CNN, Los Angeles.
SESAY: Ahead on CNN Newsroom, we go back to the climate change conference in Paris and the ranking of the world's biggest polluters.
Plus amazon is making a splash with new video of the drawn service and is hoping to start. We'll take a look at what they're proposing, coming up next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
SESAY: Here with you CNN Newsroom live from Los Angeles, I'm Isha Sasey, the headlines this hour.
The U.S. Embassy and the Afghan capital of Kabul is assessing what it calls credible reports of an eminent attack in the city. The embassy didn't release many details only that the threat was for a possible attack in the next 48 hours.
Sources say, French authorities believes a key suspect in the Paris Terrorist Attack, Salah Abdeslam, may had fled to Syria. Another source says more attacks were ready to go, the Jewish areas, transport networks and schools.
The leaders of 150 countries are meeting in Paris with the COP21 Climate Summit, their goal to agree on a legally binding reduction of greenhouse gas submissions.
[01:30:00] SESAY: On Monday, the presidents of the U.S. and Russia spoke one on one. Russian President Vladimir Putin called climate change one of the greatest threats humanity is facing.
The World Bank has ranked the worst countries for carbon dioxide emissions. That's the primary greenhouse gas responsible for global warming. China is, by far, the biggest emitter of CO2, releasing more than eight million kilotons in 2010. The U.S. is number two, followed by India and then Russia.
CNN's Matt Rivers is in Beijing, a city struggling with heavy smog; but first, let's go to Sumnima Udas, who joins us, live in New Delhi
Sumnima, India is a significant stakeholder in these talks, as the third-largest emitter. How is Prime Minister Modi approaching these Paris negotiations? SUMNIMA UDAS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Isha, it's a very interesting
balancing act to play in Paris. One the one hand, while India wants to be seen as a reliable country, wants to take the lead in this fight against climate change, on the other hand, it's also a champion of sorts for the developing nation.
One thing that India keeps mentioning is climate justice. From the very beginning, India has been saying, while India takes all of this very, very seriously and will do what it can, at the same time, what we're seeing, the climate change, the global warming, is the result of years of industrialization that's taken place in the developed nations. All this is on the developed nations, so India is looking for climate financing and carbon space, if you will.
This is what Modi had to say yesterday.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
NARENDRA MODI, INDIAN PRIME MINISTER: It is not just a question of historically responsibility. They also have the most room to make the cars and make the strongest impact. And climate adjusts to the demands. And with a little carbon space, we still have developing countries who have enough room to grow.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
UDAS: So while India will do what it needs to do to be a responsible stakeholder, it also has to be pragmatic to lift the hundreds of millions of people out of poverty -- Isha?
SESAY: It is a very careful balancing act.
Sumnima, appreciate the reporting.
If I can bring in Matt Rivers, joining us there.
Matt, world leaders gather for the climate talks in Paris. And the issue of air pollution, front of mind for millions of Chinese people, right at this very moment.
RIVERS: Absolutely. The timing could not be worse or better, depending on your view, in terms of the pollution here in Beijing. It is really bad. The kind of day you don't go very far without one of these, a pollution mask.
Take a look across our balcony. Those are buildings across the highway, 200, 250 meters or so. Those are windows that we can usually see into, across the street during your average day. Now, you can really barely make out the buildings, the pollution is that bad.
But as bad as the pollution in Beijing here is, there is another city in China that we traveled to recently in China, Baoding, where the pollution is actually worse. We went there to talk to some people who are doing their best to try to make air pollution in this country a little bit better.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
RIVERS (voice-over): These are streets choked with pollution, thick enough to see, to burn your eyes, to leave an acrid taste in your mouth. This is Baoding, China's most-polluted city.
Xou Shwong (ph) grew up here. He is raising his son here. And the air they breathe is always on his mind.
"When the pollution gets bad, we can't see the buildings next to us," he says. "You can't describe how bad the smell is."
Like thousands here, he gets ready for work each morning and heads out into the haze, as a coal power plant churns toxins above.
Xou (ph) works in the energy sector, too, though his factory helps to make coal obsolete.
This is Yin Lee Solar (ph), one of China's largest solar power companies, right in the middle of the Baoding, and business is booming. The company says they have plans to more than double their capacity by 2020.
"I believe there will be a large increase in renewable energy industry, no matter if solar power, wind power, or others."
In 2014, Chinese companies invested over $80 billion U.S. dollars in renewable energy projects. No country in the world invested more.
[01:35:08] (on camera): And despite all of that, renewable energy accounts for only 10 percent or so of China's energy supply. This is a country where coal remains king.
Many families keep pile les of coal like this one to burn for warmth during the winter months. It is a major pollutant. But it is cheap and efficient. And because of, that it accounts for between 60 percent and 70 percent of China's energy supply.
(voice-over): Coal use actually slowed in 2014, but the country still consumes nearly as much as the rest of the world combined. China is the world's largest greenhouse gas emitter. But the government says its emissions will peak by 2030. To hit that goal, they'll need the help of companies like Yin Lee (ph), and workers like Xou Shwong (ph).
"I'm very concerned about my son's health," he says. "If the air pollution stays like this, he won't ever be able to leave his house."
So he hopes his work will help make things better, so his son won't be afraid to take a deep breath.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
RIVERS: And the great irony in Baoding is that it was actually labeled a low-carbon zone by the government back in 2010. That was in an attempt to reduce pollution there. As you can see in our video that really has not worked yet. In fact, pollution on Sunday was actually worse than it was in 2010. At least for now, the reality of life in Baoding is that it remains under that toxic cloud -- Isha?
SESAY: Yeah. Very difficult, indeed.
Matt Rivers reporting from Beijing.
Sumnima Udas reporting from New Delhi.
Our thanks to you both.
Even though our planet is showing clear signs of a rapid warm-up, one place stands out when it comes to how quick it's warming.
Meteorologist Pedram Javaheri joins us now with more -- Pedram?
PEDRAM JAVAHERI, AMS METEOROLOGIST: Isha, it's interesting. This all goes back to burning any sort of -- releasing greenhouse gases and releasing carbon monoxide in the atmosphere and the coal that is being consumed across that region as well as all of this goes together when it comes to what's happening as far as climate change. That temperature, two degrees Celsius. That is a number, planetary wide, of course, if our temperatures get to this level, we're talking about not having or having irreversible damage done, especially coastal communities when it comes to that number. Planetary wide, one degree increase in the past 100 years. In China, that number has been 1.2 degrees. The forecast going forward in the next three to five decades would be two degrees Celsius. And in China, about three degrees. And when you're talking about the numbers, this directly translates into sea level rise being a major concern.
And go in for a closer look, portions of the Philippines, northern Australia, that is where the sea level has been rising on the order of 10 millimeters per year since 1992. That's the fastest rise of sea level anywhere on our planet.
I want to show you how this relates to when it comes to the conditions on our planet, as far as sea levels increasing. Take a look at this. You're talking about a one centimeter increase. That displaces waters and takes coastlines out. That one centimeter increase is 10 meters. If you bring it up to 14 centimeters, 14 meters of coastline away and pushing the water into these communities. That's precisely what some of the forecasts are indicating for places like the most densely populated cities, Shanghai in particular. Here's a look at that, the forecast for a three-degree increase, it would look like this. Notice the water has dispersed out towards some of the lower lying areas by the year 2040 to 2050. And you would see the waters within the city center, some of the major roads, under water in some of the regions. And the map shows you the devastation on the coast if this pattern was to continue with the greenhouse gases being released globally. In this part of the world, among the highest because of the consumption of coal -- Isha?
SESAY: Troubling, indeed. Issues to get to grips with in Paris.
Pedram, joining us from the CNN Center. Thank you.
JAVAHERI: Thank you. SESAY: While a world heritage site is ravaged by civil war, we'll have details on how Africa can preserve Africa's oldest national park and its endangered mountain gorillas?
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[01:42:51] SESAY: Congo is home to Africa's oldest park, Virunga National Park. Some of the world's last remaining mountain gorillas live there.
But amid war and poverty, CNN's Arwa Damon has details on a solution to save the gorillas and the world heritage site.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
ARWA DAMON, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): We're next to some of the last remaining mountain gorillas in the world.
(on camera): That's the most amazing thing I've ever seen.
(voice-over): Here in eastern Congo, their forested sanctuary is surrounded by uncertainty.
(on camera): Even with the fighting, even with --
(CROSSTALK)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We were just here, just protecting these gorillas.
DAMON: This man's father habituated the first troop back in 1987 and took him when he was just 11 to see gorillas for the first time.
He says he was struck by how human they seemed. And now, he and his rangers dedicate their lives to protecting this threatened species. And more than once, they have proven their resolve.
(on camera): In 2007, there was a horrific massacre that saw seven members of one troop killed, this troop that we're visiting right now. Only five of them survived. And none of them were silverbacks. So Bakima (ph) adopted the survivors as his own family.
(voice-over): The slaughter, a message to the rangers.
(on camera): Why did they kill them?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: They killed these gorillas just to discourage the rangers, so that the rangers can go out of the forest. Then, people will benefit the rich soil.
(SHOUTING)
DAMON: Four million people live on Virunga's edge in abject poverty.
(on camera): In a region where unrivaled natural resources, they continue to suffer through one of the world's longest running and deadliest wars.
(voice-over): As she prepares a meal, she hopes will feed 10 family members --
SUZANNE JAKAPALA, LIVES IN CONGO: (SPEAKING FOREIGN LANGUAGE)
[01:45:07] DAMON: -- 65-year-old Suzanne Jakapala (ph) tells us, conservation doesn't put food on the table. For her, the park is a great source of wood and fuel.
This park director, Emanuel Demorogue (ph) has made many enemies trying to protect the park. In 2014, he was ambushed.
EMANUEL DEMOROGUE (ph), PARK DIRECTOR: I got hit in the chest here and in the stomach.
DAMON: More than 140 rangers have been killed in the last decade, clashing with rebel groups and criminal gangs.
And then, there is oil.
DEMOROGUE (ph): That's why the drilling was due to be.
DAMON: The government has authorized a U.K. oil giant, SOCO, to explore for oil. Conservationists called the move illegal amid allegations of intimidation and violence. SOCO has denied the claims. But this November, it abandoned the project.
DEMOROGUE (ph): At lot of uncertainty there. We have to remain very vigilant.
DAMON: Africa's oldest park is also its most unique, classified a UNESCO world heritage site, from its unrivaled biodiversity, to this, the world's largest lava leak. Its orange red waves crashing in a mesmerizing mosaic.
But beauty alone will never be enough to save Virunga. And the traditional model of protecting park boundaries and bringing in tourism dollars hasn't worked, either.
So how does nature win, given the odds like this? A massive hydro electric plant, built just outside the park, and powered by water from Virunga's protected mountains. It will bring sustainable energy to an entire region for the first time. This station is one of eight, all set to be online by 2025.
DEMOROGUE (ph): It's definitely the cleanest form of energy creation.
DAMON: It is a way to reverse what Demorogue (ph) calls an environmental injustice.
DEMOROGUE (ph): An acre of fertile agricultural land, which is what Virunga National Park could be, and can generate about $600 a year in net profit for a poor Congolese family. That represents about $1 billion of lost revenue for what are essentially some of the poorest people on earth. DAMON: He readily admits that the popular cannot be expected to bear
the costs of conserving an asset that benefits the whole of humanity.
DEMOROGUE (ph): (INAUDIBLE).
DAMON: Now, constantly flanked by armed guards, Demorogue (ph) knows the rangers cannot fight the financial lure of the park's resources. But they can transform it.
DEMOROGUE (ph): It's very simple. If there's 100,000 people, whose jobs, whose livelihoods rely on a healthy ecosystem in the park, they're going to want to protect that park.
DAMON: And bringing power to the region will do just that. With it will come small and medium companies, jobs, all dependent on the park's vigor to survive.
The risk, overpopulation on the park's fringes, but one worth taking.
And, says the lead engineer Safari Campolik (ph), opportunities for his children, he could not have dreamed of.
"We normally live in the dark," he says. "This is going to allow a generation of youth not to busy themselves with armed groups, but with developing the country."
Something that will start here, life in the shell of a classroom. Its windows damaged by war. Electricity at night when the children are home. And all of the opportunities and development energy, clean energy, from the park will bring.
DEMOROGUE (ph): We're in a race with all sorts of damaging industries. But we're on the front line, in terms of trying to protect that last, you know, incredible piece of forest. And of course, it's a stabilizing climate, in terms of addresses climate change issues is fundamental.
DAMON: Ensuring development is dependent on nature, and with that, the preservation of the iconic mountain gorillas, giving Virunga a chance to win the conservation race.
Arwa Damon, CNN, Virunga National Park.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
[01:49:44]SESAY: Incredible pictures there.
Amazon's redesigned delivery drone is drawing all kinds of attention. We'll show you what the new version can do, next on NEWSROOM L.A.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
JAVAHERI: Pedram Javaheri with you, CNN "Weather Watch."
(WEATHER REPORT)
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
SESAY: Amazon released new footage of its drone delivery service and people have been quick to go over every detail of the latest video.
Our Jeanne Moos took a closer look of her own.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
JEANNE MOOS, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): In Amazon's latest peek at their drone, the dog eats the kid's shoe. She needs a new pair for the big soccer game. So, send in the drones.
ANNOUNCER: This one can supply for 15 miles.
MOOS: It's still billed at 30-minute delivery. But since Amazon introduced its first prototype two years ago --
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Oh, my god.
MOOS: -- things have changed.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It looks really cool.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It's a pretty slick redesign.
MOOS (on camera): People are practically going over the Amazon teaser trailer with a magnifying glass.
(voice-over): Both the old drone, screen left, and the new one, take off and land the same way, like a helicopter. But the new version has eight, rather than four propellers, plus a pusher prop in the back that takes over once the drone rises 400 feet or so.
ANNOUNCER: And becomes a streamlined and fast airplane.
MOOS: The drone can do around 55 miles per hour.
ANNOUNCER: It uses sense-and-avoid technology to, well, sense and avoid obstacles on the ground and in the air.
[01:55:00] MOOS: But it seems unsuited for cities, preferring a nice, big backyard, where it relieves itself of its under five-pound package.
Unlike Amazon, Google's experimental drones use lines to lower the packages to the ground.
How close is Amazon to deploying drones? A senior exec told FOX Business --
UNIDENTIFIED AMAZON SENIOR EXECUTIVE: I think we're ready to go, as soon as we get the regulatory hurdles cleared. MOOS: Those are high hurdles. There are lots of issues.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: People trying to take them down and steal the contents, of course, because people are terrible, that would happen.
MOOS: What are you boys doing? Hunting for Christmas presents.
And don't let the dogs sink his teeth into the drone.
It seems like drone delivery has gone to our heads.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: They said less than 30 minutes. But --
MOOS: Jeanne Moos --
ANNOUNCER: Amazon Prime Air.
MOOS: -- CNN --
ANNOUNCER: Not responsible for injuries obtained from falling boxes.
MOOS: -- New York.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
SESAY: What on earth will they think of next?
You're watching CNN NEWSROOM, live from Los Angeles. I'm Isha Sesay.
For our viewers in the U.S., "Amanpour" is next.
For everyone else, the news continues with Rosemary Church, right after this. (COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[02:00:08] ROSEMARY CHURCH, CNN ANCHOR: Leaders from across the globe are meeting in Paris to tackle climate change.
