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CNN INTERNATIONAL: Russia: 3 Troops Killed after Drone Shot Down Near Airfield; 15 Hundred Flights Cancelled Nationwide Monday after Storm; Relief on the way for the U.S. after Historic Arctic Blast; Major Aid Groups Suspend Work in Afghanistan after Taliban Ban Female Employees from Working; Is the U.S. Economy Headed for a Recession in 2023. Aired 11a-12p ET

Aired December 26, 2022 - 11:00   ET

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

[11:00:00]

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PAULA NEWTON, CNN HOST: Vladimir Putin meets with leaders of a Former Soviet Republics as Ukraine braces for retaliation from a suspected drone attack that killed three Russian soldiers. The death toll is rising in Northern New York State from what officials there are calling the fiercest blizzard in 45 years.

And in South Korea is calling North Korean drones flying into its airspace a clear provocation, cells responding with fighter jets and attack helicopters. Hello and a warm welcome to our viewers joining us from all around the world. I'm Paula Newton and this is CNN Newsroom.

Vladimir Putin has just appointed Former President Dmitry Medvedev as Deputy Chairman of Russia's Military Industrial Commission. Now the announcement comes as the Russian President holds a meeting with leaders of the Commonwealth of Independent States.

Now, those States are Former Soviet Republics at the same time, though, Kyiv is calling for Russia to be removed from the UN. Ukraine is also warning of a possible missile strike by Moscow following the deaths of three Russian servicemen and this is crucial here inside Russia.

The Russian Defense Ministry quoted by state media says the three were killed after Ukrainian drone was shot down as it approached a military airfield in Western Russia. I want to bring in CNN's Melissa Bell, who has been following all of this from Paris for us.

And Melissa, we want to start first with that meeting in and of itself of course, it's an attempt by Vladimir Putin to shore up support where he can. I think what many people wonder, though, is what effect could that possibly have on Putin's military push in Ukraine?

MELISSA BELL, CNN CORRESPONDENT: That's right. This is a Russian President, particularly isolated on the role of world stage, of course, being punished by those sanctions, looking as a first step of this meeting and information, as you said, I wonder when some Petersburg to really reinforce that cooperation.

That's what his opening remarks have been all about, that the trade between these eight Former Soviet Republics and Russia has been on the increase. And that is something he hopes to see continue. But of course, behind all that is also the military isolation of Russia.

Amongst those President Alexander Lukashenko, of course, Vladimir Putin's closest ally in the neighbor of Belarus, he had spent a couple of days in Russia, he got there on Saturday, visiting the cosmonauts center with a lot of speculation about whether Belarus might once again, be used as a theater for fresh ground assaults in Ukraine.

Now the Head of Ukrainian Military Intelligence says that, in fact, they don't believe that's true. This may be the buildup of military, Russian Military, hardware and personnel there, in fact, just a distraction to draw some of that Ukrainian fire and manpower away from the eastern front where it's been making such effective inroads.

But clearly, this meeting, we're looking to see what will come out in terms of any further cooperation? It is, though, a very isolated Russian President are also of course, having faced the setback off, as you mentioned moments ago report of that drone attack overnight on that Russian airbase?

NEWTON: Yes and if we want to get more detail on that drone attack, especially in terms of what the reaction might be, I mean, Ukraine, obviously not saying much, usually about these kinds of attacks. Do they fear though retaliation from Russia at this point?

BELL: They do, of course, because this is something they tend not to confirm nor deny. You're quite right Paula it was back on December 5th, we'd had those first strikes very deep into Russia, including at this very airfield where that drone was struck down overnight by Russia's defense forces.

Now, three servicemen killed this time, clearly a humiliation for Russia. It is really very far into Russia about nearly 400 miles to the East of the Ukrainian border. And this is, of course, not something that we've seen before terribly much. It certainly confirms Ukraine's ability and desire to strike deep within Russia's - Russian land of Paula.

It is a humiliation for Russia. It is a damning indictment of its air defense systems but Ukraine for now; we're just hearing Ukrainian officials, including the Head of Ukraine's Air Force saying that this is the consequence of Russian aggression. And that's about as close as you're likely to get for recognition.

The real fear now, of course in Ukraine is that just as we saw on December 5th Paula, this will be followed by retaliatory strikes. That's what it happened, then. This is what Ukrainians will happen fear will happen now over the next few days as we head into the New Year, Paula.

NEWTON: Yes. And President Zelenskyy always was quite blunt about the consequences of some of these attacks and continuing to tell Ukrainians to brace them. Melissa Bell for us in Paris really appreciate the update there.

[11:05:00]

NEWTON: Now, we something just into CNN here China's top health authority announced Monday it will end quarantine for international arrivals and all other COVID restrictive measures on January 8th, this is highly significant. Travelers will now need to have 48 hour negative PCR test results but remember, no more quarantine health code or flight restrictions clearly significant there in China.

Now until then, people arriving from outside of Mainland China still need to undergo five days of hotel quarantine and three days of self- isolation at home. Meantime, China's President is calling for a more targeted health strategy for his nation.

Xi Jinping is making one of his first public statements about the Coronavirus since Beijing dramatically eased its strict zero COVID policy in place now we will remind you for nearly three years. The country is now seeing a surge of infections. Hospitals clearly overwhelmed and medical shortages are being reported right across the country.

Beijing says it will begin distributing its first foreign made antiviral and that includes a - that will start to happen in the coming days. Meantime, China's National Health Commission says it will stop publishing a daily case count.

Now for the first time in five years, North Korea has sent drones into South Korean airspace. South Korea's military responded quickly sending military aircraft on a reconnaissance mission, with some crossing into North Korean territory. Paula Hancocks picks up our story from there.

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PAULA HANCOCKS, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice over): South Korea scrambled fighter jets and attack helicopters on Monday, as North Korea sent drones across the border into South Korean airspace.

Now we understand from the Defense Ministry that there were five North Korean drones in all, they believe one that was in the vicinity of the Capital Seoul and the others were flying around Ganghwa Island just off the West Coast of the Peninsula. Now the military says that they did fire at these drones, but they can't confirm at this point whether or not they managed to hit any of them.

We're hearing from a Defense Ministry Spokesperson saying "This is a clear provocation and an invasion of our airspace by North Korea". Now Seoul also sent reconnaissance aircraft in retaliation to the inter- Korean border area and some of those they do confirm went into North Korean airspace and filmed military installations there.

Also the two main airports in and around Seoul Gimpo and Incheon Airport had takeoffs postponed for an hour that was dictated by the military as this was going on. Also, one of those South Korean jets that were scrambled to deal with this did crash we understand from the Defense Ministry, but there were no casualties in that accident.

So this is not unprecedented to have these drones coming into South Korea, but it is unusual. The last time it happened was back in 2017. At that point, the Defense Ministry says that they find a crushed drone in South Korean airspace and it appeared that it had been gathering intelligence on a U.S. built missile defense system in the country. Similarly, in 2014, there was a crash drone found as well.

Now they were fairly crude drones with effectively a camera strapped onto them. We don't know if the technology has improved. We haven't heard from the Ministry of Defense at this point exactly what these drones look like? But it comes at the end of an historic year for North Korea. Never in their history have they fired so many missiles and tensions are fairly high between the two Koreas, Paula Hancocks, CNN, Seoul.

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NEWTON: At least 17 people have died over the holiday weekend in Japan. That's according to disaster management officials now - that's after heavy snow blanketed large parts of the country. The snowfall was so intense authority say vehicles were stranded on highways for hours more than 90 people have been injured.

We want to turn now to the weather emergency here in the United States. At least 47 people have died after an historic coast to coast storm and Arctic freeze that triggered travel chaos over the Christmas weekend. 25 people have been confirmed dead in the Buffalo, New York area alone, where the rescue effort is still ongoing.

It will take days before we know the true extent of the disaster there now the storms' effects still being felt at the nation's airports more than 1500 flights were canceled Monday more than 3000 flights were canceled on Christmas Day alone.

New York's Governor calls it the worst storm in Buffalo's history that it is saying something and it is a crisis of epic proportions at this hour. Polo Sandoval is live for us in Buffalo with the latest.

[11:10:00]

NEWTON: And Polo you've been through this with the people of Buffalo for the last few days. I mean, the Governor really comparing it to their very own war. What's the situation now and especially with those emergency responders have had such a hard time of it there?

POLO SANDOVAL, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes, the rescuers they were rescuing over the weekend Paula that says it all. And I can tell you that there is no shortage of not only heartbreak, but frustration heartbreak, because of those mounting numbers that we've - they will continue to see the 25 people confirmed dead just here in Erie County alone. And that is a number that officials fear will likely continue to rise in the hours and perhaps even days ahead.

And then also frustration because of what authorities continues to see not only here in Buffalo, but also around the city itself as they work to clear the streets so that medical personnel can respond to calls they continue to see people that are out on the road.

You see there's a driving ban that was put in place on Friday morning, and it's still in place now that it's Monday, because the goal is to keep people off the street so that the plows can keep the streets clear.

And then ambulances fire trucks can do what they're supposed to do basically personnel responding to some of those calls, because there's concern that among some of the dead, they did not get help for potential medical emergency in time in their home, they want to prevent that from happening.

So what we're seeing right now is again, a call for residents in the City of Buffalo and the surrounding regions to stay home if they're safe. And at the same time that they are scrambling to make sure that they can get to some of those neighborhoods that have been snowing for days now to make sure that people inside are OK as well, Paula.

NEWTON: When you say snowed in for days, I mean, let's be clear. We've now heard as well from officials that they're worried about the basics, like food and water now that people have been shut in for so many days?

SANDOVAL: Yes. How do you feed the first responders that have been working for three days straight and the families the people who are in warming shelters? So today, they announced that they'll be looking at surrounding counties to see if their store shelves are stocked?

You have to remember everything is closed here right now. Things had to shut down. So they need to bring in food and provisions eventually into the City of Buffalo, which is considered ground zero in this massive winter storm that affected millions throughout the United States. But how do you do that?

Well, you have to look at neighboring counties that were not affected over the weekend that were that did continue with their infrastructure open in order to try to get some support because folks here this city, it is still really it's been paralyzed by the winter weather that we experienced over the weekend and some of the residual effects that we are still experiencing today.

NEWTON: We're certainly hoping that people can hang on for a few days more it looks like Polo really appreciate you and your crew being on the ground for us there live from Buffalo, New York.

SANDOVAL: Thank you.

NEWTON: Now higher temperatures thankfully are on the way across the United States, as that Arctic blast slowly departs. Chad Myers is in the CNN Weather Center with the latest. Chad, really good to see you! I know how closely you follow all of this. So what is it going to do in terms of bringing some relief, not least to Buffalo, but other parts of the United States?

CHAD MYERS, CNN METEOROLOGIST: Yes, the big news is I think today the wind is down. I walked out of my car this morning and it was like, well, this is minus six, but it's not bad because it doesn't feel like minus 40. And that's what people across Buffalo and Chicago, Detroit. That's what they're feeling today.

They're feeling a lack of wind, which maybe give them a little bit of spring to their step getting some of this snow moved. And yes, we've had quite a bit of snow. 125 centimeters, one and a quarter meters of snow coming down since Friday now you add all the up what we've seen so far this year 251 the normal year is 242.

Paula it's not even January yet we're not even halfway through maybe a third of the way through the snow season. So much more snow still to come. There are some light flurries today but nothing piling up just maybe a slick spot or two.

For Buffalo the town right there. This is in Buffalo we talked about Buffalo because this is very warm water 35 Fahrenheit maybe plus two Celsius. So is Ontario and the steam coming off of the lakes actually enhances the amount of snow so not a lot of snow down here but a lot of snow where the wind is coming on shore.

That's why it's happened to this area and it happens like this every single year. Lots of snow on the ground heavy snow people has to be very careful shoveling this because we call these heart attacks snow because this is very heavy.

Now that it's going to be warming up. It's going to start packing down. It's going to be harder to move. The warm air is on the way, not a day too soon. So warming up in Denver today but the warmth gets all the way to Buffalo. We are going to be nine by the weekend.

And that is going to feel very good to the people that have to get out there and move it. Chicago warms up again. We're going to be somewhere around 10 to 11 degrees by Thursday and Friday. That will be a fresh spring a relief just trying to get all of this moved get all of the power lines back up get all the heat back on and hopefully people can be safe from here Paula.

[11:15:00]

NEWTON: Yes, absolutely. I'm thinking about those emergency responders that still have to work through all of this and these are crazy extremes Chad, I really can't believe it. What's happened with this weather system? Chad I know you'll continue to follow up for us I appreciate it.

MYERS: I will.

NEWTON: Now still ahead for us, major aid organizations suspend operations in Afghanistan after the Taliban impose a new ban on women. We'll tell you the details when we come back.

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NEWTON: And welcome back! The Taliban have now banned women from working at nongovernmental organizations inside Afghanistan and also issued a warning to the U.S. to "Not interfere in their internal affairs".

Now this comes just days after the group banned women from attending universities CNN's Nada Bashir joins me now from London with more on this story. And Nada what are the implications of this kind of a decree? And what leverage if any, does the West have to actually influence what the Taliban does anymore?

NADA BASHIR, CNN REPORTER: Well, Paula the implications of this decision are immense to say the least this is a country that is hugely dependent on international aid organizations to provide often life- saving support to millions of vulnerable families in Afghanistan, and in particular, women and children.

Of course, it's very important to consider the context here and the cultural implications because of course in Afghanistan, for women and children, they rely heavily on female aid workers to provide that support as opposed to male aid workers.

Now this ban is centered primarily on female aid workers, but it is having a vast impact on the organizations as a whole a number of very prominent aid organizations NGOs have now temporarily suspended their operations in their country, their messages, they simply cannot operate safely in the country cannot provide that essential care without their female colleagues.

And this is a significant concern, particularly because over the last few months and weeks, we have seen the Taliban rolling back on the fundamental rights and freedoms of women and girls across the country, particularly when it comes to the public's fear in the education sector and of course, in the workplace.

This is the latest example we saw just last week, the Taliban announcing the suspension of university education for women. We've seen protests in response to that decision. But we've also seen, of course, closures in secondary schools and now the threat of potentially elementary schools too.

So a significant concern there. They've long attempted to present themselves as a perhaps more modernized, more moderate entity since the takeover in August of last year but that simply hasn't been the case. Now there has been widespread international condemnation.

But the question is, as you said, how much less leverage the international community has at this point? We heard this morning from the Director of - saying at this point they are relying on the goodwill of the Taliban to allow for the resumption of female aid workers to return to work in order to help those vulnerable in Afghanistan, millions of people.

[11:20:00]

BASHIR: We have heard that condemnation from the United Nations from the U.S. The question is whether we will continue to see that rolling back the rights of women and girls over the coming weeks than in the New Year. Paula? NEWTON: Yes indeed much more strident than even the Taliban had promised when they had first come back to power in Afghanistan. Nada Bashir for us, appreciate that update. Still to come, Santa Claus is back at the North Pole. But did he leave behind any hopes that a rally on Wall Street or Investors waking up to yes, the dreaded coal and stalking. Warren state of the U.S. economy heading into a new year, we'll have that after the break.

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NEWTON: And welcome back. 2022 has been a roller coaster year for the U.S. economy. I don't have to remind you and there are concerns 2023 maybe just as bumpy, U.S. markets are closed Monday for the holiday. But it looks like Wall Street will end the year on the low note.

Investors are hoping for that so called Santa Claus Rally, where is it supposed to try and soften the blow of a rough year. But there are still fears that America could be headed for a recession next year. A little earlier, CNN's Marc Stewart told me about the risks.

MARC STEWART, CNN CORRESPONDENT: We talked about the labor force. Right now more Americans are working. The White House says the wages that they are getting right now are actually pretty good. But when you have more people working, it encourages spending. So will that perhaps contribute to inflation?

Last month, we saw a bit of cooling in consumer prices. So that's a positive sign. But as you know from - covering business, Paula, economists are very quick to predict or forecast when a recession will hit. But it's a very difficult thing. We should also point out that the challenge is here in the United States are very much global.

Even though we are separated by an ocean, the United States still very much is being impacted by the uncertainty with the war in Ukraine, particularly when it comes to food prices and fuel. That uncertainty is something that could continue well into 2023. There's also the great unknown.

What about conflicts between China and Taiwan? How will China really deal with the easing of COVID lock downs? These are all questions that are going to result in potential conflicts, at least for the U.S. economy. In fact, the IMF going so far to say Paula, for many people in 2023, it will feel like a recession, so even though maybe some of the specific metrics may not be met, the economic barriers and blockades are still very much present.

NEWTON: Yes, and Marc a quick one before you go. And a lot of people have been talking about what work will look like in 2023. And tied to that is specifically in the United States. Now, whether it's work from home or at the desks, there has been a debate about whether or not Americans are actually working too much.

STEWART: It's something that Paul Krugman raised in today's New York Times or just a few days ago in one of his Op-Ed pieces pointed out that Americans work more hours compared to other parts of the world compared to Germany compared to France, to Japan, in Asia. And Krugman feels that if you work less, then you'll be happier.

But then again, I guess, Paulo the question is really what is happier. In some parts of the world though, as you know, countries actually force people to take vacation, but that's not something that we've seen here at least yet in the U.S.

NEWTON: Thanks to Marc Stewart there and that debate will continue. Now staying with you economy and the day after Christmas, many of us know is traditionally a day to shop in the UK it's called Boxing Day there.

[11:25:00]

NEWTON: And London's Oxford Street is usually bustling with people looking for bargains, or returning gifts that didn't quite hit the mark. Now this year was no COVID-19 restrictions in place. Shoppers you see them they're back at it. But one retail data company predicts spending will be lower this year down by almost 4 percent from last year. And let's say many consumers are thinking twice before buying because prices have just gotten so high.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Be more cautious this year to spend but either way, just spend it if it's really worth it.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I've gone into the stores and looked at the prices and I'm like, the discounts are still not, they're not significant enough for me.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

NEWTON: And finally a royal tribute seven decades in the making. In his first Christmas speech yes, The King's Speech, King Charles praised his beloved mother, Queen Elizabeth, and thank the UK and the world for the love and support they've shown since her death. But the king did not shy away from matters outside of the royal family. Richard Quest has more.

RICHARD QUEST, CNN ANCHOR: The king chose the chapel, where his mother the Queen and his father, the Duke of Edinburgh, were laid to rest as the setting for this first Christmas message. It was an intimate and important reference to create the continuity of the past with his reign and the future.

The message from the King was one about the light of goodness and how different people will experience it, the good that people do in their various daily lives. He referred to other members of the family. And we saw for instance, the Prince and Princess of Wales. There was no mention of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex or indeed, Prince Andrew, the Duke of York. But that was for other reasons, it wasn't a personal or family snap.

It's because they are no longer working royals and therefore included in the Christmas message. The King's message was more personal right the way down to the end, where he talked about the everlasting light and wishing people a happy Christmas. It felt intimate it felt like this was his moment to connect on one of the most important times of the year.

And then of course at Sandringham, we saw the family out after church again a strong message of those who were part of the inner circle who will be consistently put forward as working Royals are members of the royal family for the future of King Charles's reign. Richard Quest, CNN, London.

NEWTON: And that was CNN Newsroom, I'm Paula Newton. A "Connect the World" special comes here on CNN right after these messages.

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BECKY ANDERSON, CNN HOST, CONNECT THE WORLD: Hello and welcome. I'm Becky Anderson; you're watching a Special Edition of "Connect the World". In this show, we are taking a look back at COP27, which was held in Egypt. Earlier this year, I was on the ground with a team and we covered that meeting extensively.

In many ways this is a story that starts at the end. Sometime after the conference was scheduled to finish and as many participants were making their way home after days of heated discussion, debate and argument, negotiators finally struck a groundbreaking deal on a fund for loss and damage to help compensate some of the most vulnerable countries in the world.

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ANTONIO GUTERRES, UN SECRETARY GENERAL: This cop has taken an important step towards justice, I welcome the decision to establish a loss and damage funds and to pressurize it in the coming period. Clearly, this will not be enough. But it is a much needed political signal to rebuild broken trust.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ANDERSON: Well, it was clear that for those gathered; this was an agreement to lift the spirits particularly as it proved impossible to gain agreement on a number of the other key issues on the table. Well, before the final deal was inked, I got a chance to sit down with the president of COP27 Sameh Shoukry.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

SAMEH SHOUKRY, COP27 PRESIDENT AND EGYPTIAN MINISTER: We want to see a clear commitment towards more reduction of greenhouse gases, more reduction of emissions, more recognition of the importance of adaptation for developing countries and the provision of the finance to enable developing countries to undertake the responsibilities.

ANDERSON: Do you worry that the world's richest are backtracking?

SHOUKRY: Absolutely. It's, it's a worry for any of the parties of the conference to backtrack and certainly those in the developed world who have the resources who have the resilience to be backtracking would send the devastating message and would have a very negative impact on the issue of trust.

The issue of trust is an important one where there's a feeling of commonality and that we are all in this together and must shoulder the responsibilities, differentiated responsibilities.

ANDERSON: There is a deficit of trust from developing nations at this point, isn't it?

SHOUKRY: Of course there is one of the reasons of course, is not having fulfilled the 100 billion dollar commitment, several years after it was endorsed in Copenhagen.

ANDERSON: You have talked about the pressing issue of funding arrangements specifically for developing nations under what's known as loss and damage. Now, last year, high income rich countries blocked a proposal for a financing body under that scheme. How can you be sure that that won't happen again this year?

SHOUKRY: Well, I think what we have achieved after 30 years of discussion of this item, during this COP after very strenuous negotiations that so the presidency team led it to incorporate on the agenda, an item related to loss and damage in itself and achievement, but we are not going to limit ourselves to that.

But we also have to be practical. This is an issue of sensitivity and complexity. And we will be confident to move it ahead in terms of discussion and within a specific timeframe that the parties can come to an understanding on the finance mechanisms that would provide the assistance to developing countries when it comes to loss and damage.

ANDERSON: The UN chief doesn't think loss and damage is complicated. He says it can be paid for from windfall taxes on oil and gas companies. Do you agree?

SHOUKRY: It's a matter for the parties to decide and for governments to provide the legislative framework for issues of this. I support that there should be a funding mechanism how that develops is going to be contingent on the agreement of the parties and their willingness to enter into a legally binding commitments in this area.

[11:35:00]

SHOUKRY: I won't highlight one manner of funding over the other. For us as a president, we will facilitate the discussion and we hope to move it forward sufficiently to gain trust among the parties and to also deal with an issue that I think everybody recognizes is fundamental.

ANDERSON: The UAE will follow this call with COP28 in Dubai, in the UAE next year. How important is it for a region that faces such risks of climate crisis? How important is it these two meetings are held in this region, Middle East, North Africa and wider Africa? SHOUKRY: Well, it's, I think, important that the COP is supported by nations of the South that both Egypt and transferring this responsibility to the Emirates is another indication of the willingness of the South to undertake the responsibilities to show their commitment to dealing with climate change effectively.

And it also highlights the opinions and the expectations and the aspirations of the South to maintain the viability of this planet for future generations. If we don't rise to the occasion, and if we don't meet the challenge, it will be too late. The deterioration will be irreversible.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

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ANDERSON: Hello again. This year's COP27 took place in Sharm el-Sheikh in Egypt. There was progress in some areas such as providing funding for some of the world's most vulnerable countries, in others, such as our reliance on fossil fuels, seemingly very little was actually achieved. Well, to get some perspective on what Europe was hoping to get out of this event, I sat down with Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

URSULA VON DER LEYEN, PRESIDENT OF THE EUROPEAN COMMISSION: This COP27 now is about implementation. Here my very clear messages from the European Union, we are on track. We have cast in law, our climate targets, not just put targets out but cast them in law minus 55 percent to 2030 and Climate Neutral 2050. And now we have to accelerate. We've put forward I think the most ambitious legislative package now worldwide to achieve these goals.

ANDERSON: Given the war in Ukraine, the consequent energy crisis in Europe and the full back on fossil fuels at least in the short term certainly the EU hasn't increased its pledge for 55 percent cut in emissions by 2030.

[11:40:00]

ANDERSON: Is an increase given what Europe is going through specifically, in order to help the fight is an increase out of the question?

LEYEN: So here is important, this is really a decisive moment, you're absolutely right what you described. We're completely getting rid of our fossil fuel dependency from Russia. And now it's the crucial moment not to be locked in, and other fossil fuels from other suppliers, but to leapfrog forward and accelerating the renewables.

And therefore, for this year, that's the International Energy Agency that estimates it. Europe will be able to double its additional renewable energy deployment. And next year, if we accelerate and if we scale up as we are planning, then we're able to quadruple this additional renewable energies 100 Gigawatts that I'm speaking of. So it's indeed a decisive moment to show action in the right direction and not to be locked in.

ANDERSON: Earlier, Boris Johnson has said, here, and I quote him he was speaking here today, I'm worried about the discussion about Ukraine, having all sorts of bad effects, making people anxious about net zero. I hear what you're saying about the opportunity for a real sort of historic pivot at this stage away from fossil fuels. But for example, I mean, you've been questioned today by activists about Europe's appetite for more gas.

Now, Europe described gas as a bridge fuel, but it's a gas emitting fuel at the end of the day. So again, I put it to you how concerned should we be that as this war continues, as Europe's energy crisis continues, that it'll be energy security and a dependence on fossil fuels, that sort of takes over the discussion from energy diversification.

LEYEN: Yes. So that's very important. Just to look at what happened the last eight months, Russia cut 80 percent of its gas supply to Europe and Russia was the biggest supplier worldwide. And its biggest client was Europe these days are completely over 80 percent cut. And we've compensated not only by gas, but also by massive saving, minus 15 percent.

And by massive investment, we call it repower issue, a 300 billion euro program that we set up towards renewable. And here comes the point now for the Global South. This whole energy demand from Russia that is we are winding down. If we do it right, we'll shift it to the global South.

When you have renewables and here mainly hydrogen, I'm signing for example, three hydrogen MoUs on this COP27, with Egypt, with Namibia and with Kazakhstan. And if we do it right, we immediately do this jump forward to infrastructure. That is hydrogen ready, that's -

ANDERSON: That's and I understand that and that is good news. But that is long term at this point. Short term in 2015, the world signed up to $100 billion a year funds for the poorer countries, because there was an understanding that they needed financing on adaptation and mitigation .Two questions. The world hasn't ponied up that money. The U.S. is way behind. That's wrong, isn't it?

LEYEN: It is wrong. We have to do more. Europe is doing its fair share $23 billion or Euros. We've said we're going to pledge that last year, we did it and we're going to give more than 23 billion Euros this year, too. But you're right. I mean, there's still a gap. And this gap has to be filled.

ANDERSON: Loss and damage is the phrase that viewers will hear a lot about here, compensating poorer countries for the loss and damage caused by climate change. Pakistan is the poster child in the most awful way for that thousand lives lost this year, 40 billion, and the price of damage.

The EU and other developed countries are frankly not interested in engaging in engaging in a conversation about loss and damage. Why? LEYEN: I think loss and damage the discussion about is very important. And therefore I'm happy that it's an agenda point, this time at COP27 it wasn't so far. There's a lot of work ahead of us to define what is loss and damage and then to look into the possible funds to compensate. So that's the work that's now ahead of us and therefore it's good that it is on the agenda and that's a specific point we're going to discuss.

[11:45:00]

ANDERSON: The EU Of course, and briefly blocked a proposal at last year's UN climate talks to establish a fund agreeing instead to simply dialogue. Can you imagine this COP could go some distance towards that fund for loss and damage, realistic?

LEYEN: It may be it depends on the discussion, we're the first day of the COP27 it's going to last two weeks and the negotiations will only start. But as I said, it's already a big step forward that it is an agenda point. So there has to be a deliverable on it.

ANDERSON: Optimistic about these talks.

LEYEN: Medium, very hard to say.

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ANDERSON: Hello, and welcome back. I'm Becky Anderson, and you are watching a special show, looking back at COP27 in Egypt earlier this year. Well, COP stands for Conference of the Parties. And these United Nations organized climate change conferences have been held since 1995. And over the years, there have been highs and lows, successes and failures. Well, this year's meeting started with a stark warning.

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GUTERRES: We are in the fight of our lives and we are losing greenhouse gas emissions keep growing. Global temperatures keep rising. And our planet is fast approaching tipping points that will make climate chaos irreversible. We are on a highway to climate hell with our food still on the accelerator.

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ANDERSON: For years U.S. politician John Kerry has been warning of the dangers of failing to take positive action on climate change sworn in 2020. As the Special Presidential Envoy on Climate, John Kerry was one of the key decision makers in Egypt at COP27. And my colleague, David McKenzie caught up with him.

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JOHN KERRY, U.S. CLIMATE ENVOY: There is not enough money in any country in the world to actually solve this problem. It takes trillions and no government that I know of is ready to put trillions into this on an annual basis. That's what the scientists and the UN finance reports say we must do two and a half to four and a half trillion every year for the next 30 years.

DAVID MCKENZIE, SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: The private sector is clearly important, but government negotiations are also critical the U.S. and China is in a deep freeze. Is this damaging the possibility of reaching climate targets?

KERRY: Well, my counterpart from China and I have in the last days had informal conversation. We're not formally negotiating at this point. But our hope is that within a short span of time, it will become possible for us to really get together again in full measure and do the things we need to be doing as the two leading emitters in the world and as the two largest enemies in the world. China and the United States really need to cooperate on this.

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KERRY: And without China, even if the U.S. is as we are moving towards a 1.5 degree program, which we are, if we don't have China, nobody else can make to that goal and we blow through 1.5 and it will cost citizens around the world trillions and more dollars.

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ANDERSON: With over 100 million people, Egypt has one of Africa's largest populations. The continent is often at the very heart of discussions at COP and this year was no different.

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MOKGWEETSI MASISI, BOTSWANA PRESIDENT: There is no doubt that we all acknowledge the science and warnings and climate change, but implementation of desired adaptation actions and deliverables. Though a national development imperative for many of us, has thus far remained elusive and yes, a mirage.

EMMERSON MNANGAGWA, ZIMBABWE PRESIDENT: Zimbabwe is expanding the production and the use of renewable energy. Zimbabwe will see greenhouse gas emissions curbed to - million tons of carbon dioxide by 2030.

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ANDERSON: Well, one of the most powerful voices to emerge this year was that of Kenyan President William Ruto.

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WILLIAM RUTO, KENYAN PRESIDENT: Two wrongs never add up to a right. It was not right for us to pollute this world to the extent that we are facing an existential threat. We have real opportunities. Let me give you an example. In Kenya, we have huge deposits of coal, we have deposits of carbon, and we have deployed huge deposits of hydrocarbons.

But we have made the conscious decision that we are going to go green, and today 93 percent of our energy is green. And we pride ourselves that it is never it's never too late to make the right decision. I think the right decision is to go green.

ANDERSON: The fact is that we are in the middle of an energy crisis, in this environment, should Africa be leaning into fossil fuels at all and if so, how much? RUTO: I think leaning on fossil fuels is not an option. In the face of the reality of what we know, is happening to our globe. I think we need to make difficult decisions. And the rest of the world needs to help Africa make the difficult decisions, work with just transition of our energy, work with ensuring that we go green.

And I say this because coming from Kenya again; it is possible for us to run our development on grid. And therefore we do not have the luxury to make the wrong decisions anymore in the face of the serious effects that are ravaging our continent, and we are bearing the brunt.

ANDERSON: You made a pledge earlier this year to ramp up clean energy and phase out fossil fuels for electricity by 2030. Are you on track to do that?

RUTO: We are well on track in the next six years; by 2028 we should be 100 percent Green Energy in Kenya. Yesterday for example, we worked with Investors who are now going to unlock another 10,000 megawatts of geothermal energy, another 20,000 megawatts of wind and solar energy into our grid.

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RUTO: And also to support green agriculture so that we can use green hydrogen to produce ammonia and to produce fertilizer down the road. Because we believe that these are options, these are opportunities that are glaring and that are open to us.

ANDERSON: You have described the sort of initiatives and deals that can be struck at a meeting like this. I know that you have also looked at clean, significant clean energy investments with the UK, for example, which announced the major international climate package here, just yesterday. How important is a meeting like this, in order that you can get home and prove to the people of Kenya that these solutions are workable solutions?

RUTO: On one side, the real threat that climate change poses to our planet and to humanity. But on the other hand, the real opportunities that are also available once people are working together. For example, what we did with the UK, in terms of solar energy, green dams, green city, green railway city, those are all interventions that we have been having a conversation with the UK for a long time.

This moment, COP27 presented us with the perfect opportunity for us to conclude those deals and bug them in the interest of humanity and our two countries.

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ANDERSON: We are coming to you from the United Arab Emirates, which will host the COP28 meeting in 2023. From here at the expo city in Dubai and it's clear, there will be tough decisions to be taken not least on carbon emissions and on the world's reliability on fossil fuels.

As anyone who attended this year's meeting will tell you achieving agreement across the board is tough. Some progress was made in Egypt; it is now incumbent upon world leaders to ensure that no momentum is lost. In short, going forward, we need more good cop than bad.

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