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World Leaders Pledge to End Deforestation by 2030; Refugees Flee Erosion and Storm Surges in Senegal; National Archives Reveals Details About Documents Trump is Trying to Keep Secret from Congress; 100+ World Leaders to Agree to End Deforestation By 2030; Pilot Under Fire for Reportedly Using Coded Biden Insult. Aired 4:30-5a ET

Aired November 02, 2021 - 04:30   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

[04:30:00]

ISA SOARES, CNN ANCHOR: Welcome to CNN NEWSROOM. I'm Isa Soares. Let me bring you up to date with our top stories this hour.

All eyes are on the governor's race in Virginia. The outcome could provide insights about voter sentiment ahead of next year's midterm elections.

And Congress could vote later this week on President Biden's economic legislation. Progressives say they are ready to pass both bills. That's despite some moderate Democrats saying that they are still not ready. We'll have much more on both those stories in roughly 30 minutes' time.

Now, a major announcement is expected today at the COP26 conference in Glasgow, Scotland. Britain says more than 100 world leaders will commit to ending deforestation by 2030. Deforestation and forest degradation accounts for around 11 percent of the world's carbon emissions.

Well, part of the Biden agenda is combatting climate change. And the president is working with world leaders to do just that at that conference. Those representing smaller nations are there as well and calling on the developed world to give them resources to really night global warming. The president of Seychelles says countries like his are gasping for survival and warned his country of 150 islands could be reduced to less than 50 if nothing is done to stop the rising sea levels.

Now we'll take you to a community in Western Africa where people are watching as their homes and historic buildings just slowly being washed away. St. Louis in Senegal is known as the Venice of Africa. Many of its people are becoming climate refugees. CNN's Fred Pleitgen joins us now live from St. Louis. And Fred, as leaders are meeting in of course in Scotland, in Glasgow, people on the ground have been seeing the I impacts of climate change for some time. Give us a sense of what you're hearing on the ground.

FREDERIK PLEITGEN, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Yes, they certainly have, Isa. And really a lot of those grim projections that we're hearing there from the conference, a lot of them have come true already in western Africa.

This is a thriving -- or was a thriving fishing community. You can actually see there's some fishermen who are coming out right now. Most of those fishermen have actually been out to sea for sometimes up to two weeks in those boats. But the fishing community here in this UNESCO world heritage site city is under threat. A lot of them live right on the coastline. And that coastline is being destroyed by global warming which leads to rising sea levels which leads to major storm surges here that are destroying the houses that the people you see behind me live in. Let's have a look.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

PLEITGEN (voice over): The fishermen's lives have always been tough here in St. Louis in northern Senegal, fighting for survival on the harsh Atlantic Ocean. Now because of climate change, the sea that has always provided for their livelihood is destroying their existence.

Chef Czar and his family live in what's left of their house half destroyed by a storm surge, knowing full well the rest of the building could be washed away anytime.

We don't have anywhere to go, he says, if we had the means we would move where we are living is not safe. We are powerless.

Because of its geography St. Louis is known as the Venice of Africa, a UNESCO World Heritage Site once the capital of Senegal now facing attrition due to the global climate emergency as erosion takes its toll on the historic buildings and the people dwelling in them.

PLEITGEN: Fishing is a profession that spans generations here in St. Louis, but thousands of fishermen and their families have already been displaced by global warming as rising sea levels have destroyed many houses here on the coastline.

PLEITGEN (voice over): There is nothing left of where fishermen Abule Toray's (ph) house once stood. He says many who lost their homes had become climate refugees.

There are a lot of young people who have already fled to Spain because they are homeless, he says, they have lost their jobs, many of them are going.

Others have had to move to these tent camp miles away from the ocean, living in poverty with little hope for improvement.

Rising sea levels are a threat to coastal areas around the world already causing an increase in severe flash flooding and storm surges like in the New York and New Jersey area after Hurricane Ida in September.

[04:35:00]

The world needs to act fast or risk having to completely abandon some coastal regions in the future, especially in the U.S. says climate scientist, Anders Levermann. ANDERS LEVERMANN, POTSDAM INSTITUTE FOR CLIMATE IMPACT RESEARCH: The entire East Coast of the U.S. because of changes in the ocean currents, sea level is rising twice as fast of the East Coast of the U.S. then globally.

PLEITGEN (voice over): What is it dangerous projection for the world is already grim reality here in Senegal, where the ocean that has defined the lives in this community for so long, is now drifting them into an uncertain future.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

PLEITGEN (on camera): And, of course, Isa, you can see the disaster what's happening to the structures there on the shore, which of course, are almost all historic buildings. But even more of a tragedy is the human toll that all of this has taken. And just to give you some of the numbers, the authorities here say that around 3,000 fishermen and their families have already been displaced. Have been forced to move inland. And these are people who for generations have known nothing but fishing.

But the other thing that the folks on the ground tell us is that many of the fishermen here try to take their boats and flee to Europe, and everybody here can tell you of a relative who has tried to do that. And there are many who say that there are lots of people who tried to flee across the sea and die along the way -- Isa.

SOARES: That shows the importance of signing off on these pledges. Fred Pleitgen for us in St. Louis, Senegal. Great to see you, Fred, thanks very much.

Now recently revealed court filings are shining a light on what former U.S. President Donald Trump wants to keep secret from lawmakers investigating the insurrection. We have the very latest for you next.

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SOARES: Now, later this week a judge will hear arguments about whether former U.S. President Donald Trump's actions leading up to the Capitol riot deserve executive privilege.

[04:40:00]

This comes after the National Archives laid out exactly what kind of documents, he's trying to keep secret from lawmakers investigating the insurrection. CNN's Paula Reid explains.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

PAULA REID, CNN SENIOR LEGAL AFFAIRS CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Former President Trump is seeking to stop Congress from gaining access to a wide range of documents related to the January 6th attack on the Capitol. According to a court filing from the National Archives, Trump has asserted privilege over 770 pages of documents from his time in the White House, including handwritten memos from his chief of staff about January 6th, 30 pages of his daily schedules, call logs for Trump and Pence, White House records and other handwritten notes.

Trump sued to block congressional investigators from obtaining the documents after President Biden refused to assert privilege saying it would not be in the best interest of the United States to keep them secret.

The House Select Committee argues that Trump has no right to keep these records confidential, citing the committee's need to reconstruct Trump's efforts to undermine the 2020 election and his actions on January 6th.

REP. JAMIE RASKIN (D-MD): We want to document a complete record of everything that was going on really minute by minute during the day of the insurrection.

REID (voice-over): The committee is expected to subpoena additional witnesses this week, but Representative Jamie Raskin would not confirm whether one would be going to Conservative Law Professor John Eastman, who worked with Trump's legal team to pressure Pence to overturn the election results with fringe legal theories.

RASKIN: He was the architect of the legal strategy to claim for the first time in American history that the vice president had the unilateral authority to reject Electoral College votes that were the results of popular elections in Arizona, in Pennsylvania, in Georgia.

REID (voice-over): Eastman has recently tried to distance himself from that plan but CNN uncovered a radio interview just days before the insurrection where Eastman claimed Pence did have the power to throw out the Electoral College votes if he had the spine.

JOHN EASTMAN, LAW PROFESSOR WHO WORKED WITH TRUMP LEGAL TEAM: Well, I think a lot of that depends on the courage and the spine of the individuals involved.

STEVE BANNON, STEVE BANNON'S WAR ROOM: That would be a nice way to say a guy named Vice President Mike Pence?

EASTMAN: Yes.

REID (voice-over): This comes as "The Washington Post" published a series on the attack revealing that Mark Milley, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, suggested locking down the city, Acting Defense Secretary Christopher Miller feared a bloody Boston massacre-type altercation and that the FBI hindered its own ability to track threats by switching its social media monitoring service a week before the attack.

REID: On Thursday a judge will hear arguments on Trump's claim of executive privilege. Many of the questions raised in this case are really untested by the courts. And even if Trump does not ultimately win this case, if he can convince the judge to at least delay handing over these documents to lawmakers until these larger questions are resolved, that could potentially hinder parts of the January 6th investigation.

Paula Reid, CNN, Washington.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

SOARES: Well, as we've been reporting, some officials warned trouble was brewing well before the January 6 attack. CNN spoke with the former head of intelligence at Washington D.C.'s homeland security office who notified multiple agencies about the violent chatter. Take a listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DONELL HARVIN, FORMER INTELLIGENCE CHIEF AT WASHINGTON, DC HOMELAND SECURITY OFFICE: The seeds of what happened on January 6 were planted long time ago, and we've seen this fomenting in American society well before January 6. And I know everyone is focused on January 6, and there will be an autopsy and it's ongoing right now. But while that autopsy is occurring, we can't lose sight of the fact that the elements that, that made January 6 possible are still there in our society.

Even after January 6, we started seeing threat information from individuals who didn't go to D.C. who lamented that they hadn't been here and had articulated that it would have gone differently had they not -- had they been here. And so, there's a lot of people out there, not just who you saw on January 6, that are of like mind. And I think that's probably the broader picture.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SOARES: Well, he went on to say that authorities need to identify people who are mobilizing from radicalization to violence.

And still ahead right here on the show, an airline pilot is under investigation after he reportedly used the phrase, "let's go Brandon" over the intercom. We'll explain what that means after the break.

[04:45:00]

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SOARES: Welcome back to CNN NEWSROOM. I'm showing these live pictures from Glasgow of world leaders are kicking off the second day of critical climate talks at COP26. As you can see there Prime Minister Narendra Modi of India speaking at the moment. Of course, he promised to cut emissions to net zero by 2070. The goal of course is by 2050. So, he's promising two decade later. So, we'll stay on top of these live speeches coming in from Glasgow.

But in the hours ahead, we are expecting to see the first substantial deal. According to the British government, more than 100 leaders representing over 85 percent of the world's forests will commit to ending and reverting deforestation by 2030. Let's head to Glasgow now where Mark Maslin joins us with his perspective. He's the professor of earth systems science at the University College London, UCL. Professor, very good morning to you. We are expecting as I just said to hear this pledge from 100 countries to end, as well as reverse deforestation by 2030. I think we have Brazil, Indonesia, Russia, and China, among the signatories. Are you optimistic at all?

MARK MASLIN, PROFESSOR OF EARTH SYSTEMS SCIENCE, UNIVERSITY COLLEGE LONDON: I am think this is a really important step forward because it is countries that have huge forests that are saying, we're going to stop deforestation by 2030. Now, I know that's nine years in advance and we would really like it to stop now.

[04:50:00]

But it is interesting that they are doing it now at COP and right at the beginning of COP.

And I think one of the other interesting things, Isa, is sweetener, there is $20 billion that's been put on the table by some of the richest countries in the world to help those countries stop deforestation and hopefully soon start reforesting.

SOARES: Yes, I'm glad you mentioned the sweetener, professor. Because we have here before. Didn't we have a similar promise in 2014? But we didn't meet that. So, you think the sweetener could just be the deal that clinches it?

MASLIN: Well, I think, first, that deal in 2014, again, different politicians, different places and different countries. And I think that's really important to realize that we're moving into a new wave. And I think one of the key things is actually people realizing that actually deforestation is actually an economic loss to the country instead of an economic gain. So, I think the economy and that sweetener will actually start to make a difference. And also, there is huge pressure from other world leaders to stop that deforestation.

SOARES: What I didn't see and maybe you have the details, professor, is whether meat consumption, beef production, of course, the biggest driver of deforestation, whether that is included here. Having reported on deforestation in Brazil, this is something that kept coming up.

MASLIN: Well, I think the important thing to realize is that we actually produce enough food in the world to feed 10 billion people. There are only 7.9 billion. So, actually the argument that we have to deforest vast areas to actually grow food, have cattle, et cetera, is a false one. So, what we really need to do is rethink our agriculture so we can use the food we already produce more fairly and distribute it better. So, I think that's the key. Actually, understanding agriculture and that system.

SOARES: Mark Maslin, Professor Mark Maslin, thank you very much, sir, for your perspective.

Now, officials in China said so far, all Shanghai Disneyland staff and visitors tested negative for COVID-19 after a confirmed case close the park into a snap lockdown. Remember we brought you that story yesterday. Well, the closure began on Sunday as thousands of people gathered for a Halloween event. Everyone inside was tested before leaving. Now, Delta says it has zero tolerance for unruly behavior after a

flight had to be diverted due to what the airline called a customer disturbance. The flight was headed from Atlanta to Los Angeles when the incident occurred. Delta issued this statement.

Quote: We applaud our flight crew's quick decision to divert and address the situation as expeditiously as possible so the remainder of our customers can resume their travels.

Well, meanwhile, America's political tensions are also flaring in the unfriendly skies. Southwest airlines says it is investigating after reports of pilot signed off to his passengers by saying, "let's go Brandon." as CNN's Brian Todd reports, the phrase has become a sort of anti-Biden code in some conservative circles.

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BRIAN TODD, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): America's bitter political divide again rears its head on a commercial airline flight, this time in the cockpit. On a Southwest Airlines flight from Houston to Albuquerque last Friday, a pilot went on to the public address system and after discussing visibility and the weather, ended his greeting to passengers with the phrase, "let's go Brandon". That's according to "The Associated Press," which coincidentally, had a reporter on board.

"Let's go Brandon" is a tongue in cheek reference to the phrase "F Joe Biden". And one recently retired pilot tells us political statements from pilots on the PA system were frowned upon when he flew.

LES ABEND, RETIRED PILOT, AMERICAN AIRLINES: Unprofessional. I mean, it's -- that's just the bottom line. Any sort of, you know, openly opinionated statement over the public-address system was just -- would just kind of foreboding.

TODD (voice-over): It all started when a reporter at a recent NASCAR race misunderstood a chant from the crowd.

CROWD CHANTING: Go Brandon.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Let's go, Brandon.

TODD (voice-over): Instead, she thought it was let's go Brandon, in support of the driver who just won the race. Since that moment, the phrase "Let's go Brandon" has been openly used by Republican politicians.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Let's go, Brandon.

TODD: Texas Senator Ted Cruz posed with a "Let's go Brandon" sign at a baseball game.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Say it, say it.

SEN. TED CRUZ (R-TX): Let's go, Brandon.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Let's go, Brandon! TODD (voice-over): South Carolina Congressman Jeff Duncan wore a face mask on the House floor with the phrase.

TIA MITCHELL, THE ATLANTA JOURNAL CONSTITUTION: This is just another example of memes and coded language being used to signal alignment with conservative values.

TODD (voice-over): Southwest Airlines issued a statement on the pilot's reported comment saying: Southwest does not condone employees sharing their personal-political opinions on the job. Southwest is conducting an internal investigation into the recently reported event.

But this isn't the only incident of its kind on a commercial airline recently. The United Airlines Pilot Union sent a memo to all its pilots last week telling them not to use the emergency frequency which pilots communicate on as their personal pulpit.

[04:55:00]

A spokesman for the union says the memo was in reference to the phrase "Let's go Brandon."

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: If we don't stand up, it's only going to get worse!

TODD (voice-over): Tensions on commercial flights, political and otherwise, may never have been higher. Recently, an American Airlines flight attendant was hospitalized with broken bones in her face following an attack from a passenger. On this recent, American Airlines flight, this man chewed on his mask and growled at the flight crew.

With the FAA reporting more than 4,900 incidents of unruly passengers just this year, Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg was asked about the idea of a no-fly list for violent passengers.

PETE BUTTIGIEG, TRANSPORTATION SECRETARY: I think that should be on the table. Look, it is completely unacceptable to mistreat, abuse, or even disrespect flight crews.

TODD: Regarding that Southwest Airline pilot's "let's go Brandon" comment, and "Associated Press" reporter who was on that flight tweeted that she tried to get comment from the pilot and was almost removed from the plane. But she did say she was asked them to open up a locked cockpit door.

Contacted by CNN, a spokesperson for the Southwest Airlines Pilots Association said the union would have no comment on the incident because it is under investigation.

Brian Todd, CNN, Washington.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

SOARES: Now, a new chapter in the "Star Wars" universe makes its debut later this year. Here's a first look at "The Book of Boba Fett.". (BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I am not a bounty hunter.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I've heard otherwise.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SOARES: The new series follows bounty hunter Boba Fett taking over the former palace of Jabba the Hutt and his criminal empire. The Fett character was given a new lease of life in season two of the Mandalorian. Disney's series getting a surprise reveal in close credit scenes. "The Book of Boba Fett" on Disney+ on December 29th.

Well, that does it for me right here on CNN NEWSROOM. Thanks very much for watching. I'm Isa Soares. "EARLY START" with Christine Romans and Laura Jarrett is up next. There's much more of course on the Virginia governor's race. Do stay right here with CNN. Have a wonderful day. Bye-bye.

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