Return to Transcripts main page
Connect the World
Ukraine Liberates Kherson Region West of Dnipro River; Liberated Ukrainian Town Sees Elated Residents; Ukrainian Group Distributes Special Gear for Female Troops; President Biden Speaks at U.N. Climate Conference in Egypt; Artificial Intelligence Impacting Art World. Aired 10-11a ET
Aired November 11, 2022 - 10:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
[10:00:26]
ANNOUNCER: This is CNN Breaking News.
RICHARD QUEST, CNN INTERNATIONAL ANCHOR: A very good day to you. I'm Richard Quest, in for Becky Anderson. Welcome. This is CONNECT THE WORLD.
This is what we have dreamed of from the first days of the occupation. Those are the words from a Ukrainian official as Ukrainian forces take
control of the key city of Kherson, an almost the entire west bank of the Dnipro River. Listen to the jubilation.
(VIDEO CLIP)
QUEST: The pictures on social media showing residents waving and cheering, raising Ukrainian flags. The crowds are celebrating. But officials warning
that some Russian forces may have thrown away their uniforms and may be hiding in plain sight, in civilian clothes. Ukraine is accusing Russia of
leaving behind mines and destroying infrastructure as it retreats.
Now this video shows the destruction of the main bridge across the Dnipro River. Russia's Defense Ministry on Friday announced its complete
withdrawal of its forces from Kherson City, as well as areas west of the Dnipro River. Moscow is also sounding a note of caution. The Kremlin says
Kherson region remains a part of Russia. And in that, you have the contradiction and the difficulty of the morning.
Let's bring in our chief international anchor, Christiane Amanpour. She is with me from Kyiv.
Good day to you, Christiane. So the significance, the significance of this. Why did the Russians pull back? What could they not achieve?
CHRISTIANE AMANPOUR, CNN CHIEF INTERNATIONAL ANCHOR: Well clearly, they have been under sustained, sustained attack and pressure from the Ukrainian
forces really ever since this summer, when the Ukrainian forces started to take back key areas of the east that Russia had occupied since February
24th. And this was just, you know, relentless, counteroffensive and liberating of Ukrainian territory.
And the Russians are clearly reading the writing on the wall or the, you know, the boots on the ground because they are unable to mount clearly a
strong, occupation. They can't resist the Ukrainian forces who have been well-equipped and well-outfitted, well-trained, by themselves and, of
course, with these nearly nine months of more weaponry and all the support from the United States and all the NATO countries. So you can see that that
is paying off.
Now Kherson is massively strategically important. Not only was it the first major regional capital that the Russians actually took and then occupied
since February 24th, but it's strategically located. So they really need it if they want to keep control -- this is the Russians now -- of any access
towards the Black Sea, of control to their access to Crimea, which they claimed as their own.
You know, that is considered illegally seized and occupied and annexed by Russia. The U.N. considers all that illegal. But this is what the
Ukrainians have said, that they are going to keep moving and keep liberating their territory, you know, inch by inch. I spoke to the
president of Ukraine just a couple of days ago. He said the same thing. He would not describe to me the timeline for this offensive, and clearly, it's
happening now.
But we have to also, you know, repeat what you just said. There are warnings that Russia has dug in quite heavily on the east side towards --
you know, more towards the Russian border. The Ukrainians already are calling for Russian soldiers who may have taken off their military fatigues
and uniforms, and put on civilian clothes, they've warned them do not try to escape. You will not make.
We will destroy you, unless you surrender. If you surrender, you will be treated to the international convention's governing prisoners of war under
the Geneva Convention. So all this happening quite rapidly now. But not out of the woods yet. We wait to see what happens to the greater Kherson region
that the Russians insist remains part of the federation.
QUEST: So, Christiane, the issue for the Russians was, of course, supply lines and the ability to keep their troops supplied. But also, now, we do -
- by now we know that those who were conscripted in the mobilization are also on the frontlines as well. So this is -- on a military point, both
political and military, they don't seem to be able to hold these important lines if the Russians are to make -- ought to if you like consolidate their
ill-gotten gains.
[10:05:09]
AMANPOUR: Well, precisely. And it's not just supply lines, Richard. It's everything. We hear from Russians themselves, these are the Russian
military bloggers who embedded with their troops in these occupied areas of Ukraine, and they have written consistently, for months now, that their
orders are just -- I mean, honestly, they've called them pretty much rubbish. That they're told to do one thing, then they're told to retreat,
and they're told to try to recapture.
They know that they are being outgunned by now the enormous amount of artillery and long-range artillery, a much more effective artillery that
the Ukrainians have now got, where they can reach behind Russian lines. They can attack Russians in a way that they weren't able to at the
beginning of the war, and really, ever since Ukraine pushed back the Russian forces from around this capital city at the end of March.
Barely a month after the Russians tried to take the capital, this has been a relentless pattern that solely and methodically, the Ukrainians have been
using their tactics, as the president said to me, their strategy. They have not been talking about it loudly in public. They have just quietly kept the
military pressure on. And city by city, village by village, region by region so far, they are doing -- you know, they've got the upper hand. And
who would've thought this at the beginning?
Much of it is also because the Ukrainians know what they are fighting for. The Russians don't. They keep saying, you know, people on the ground and
calls that are intercepted by Russian soldiers, saying, you know, what are we doing here? And It's pretty disastrous because the world feared a mighty
Russian military. So far, in this battle, that is not transpiring.
QUEST: Christiane, if I can impose on you to stay with me a few moments longer because I want to hear from your perspective. Before we do, though,
CNN team was in the newly-liberated Ukrainian town of Snihurivka just only hours ago. Now they witnessed the elation of residents being freed from
Russian occupation.
CNN's Nic Robertson says the town has been through a lot.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
NIC ROBERTSON, CNN INTERNATIONAL DIPLOMATIC EDITOR (on-camera): It's quite incredible. Everyone is telling us we are the first reporters here.
Literally the Ukrainian troops only arrived here yesterday and liberated the town. The Russians left two days before.
As you drive into the town here, everyone is waving, everyone is happy. People we talked to here have horror stories to tell about their treatment
by the Russians particularly over the last few days.
I'll give you an idea of what you're seeing behind me. You see a couple of young teenagers here with the Ukrainian flags on their shoulders. They were
the first to raise the flag when the Russians left even before the troops arrived. So sort of a pre-liberation by teenagers here. And they tell us
that a month ago somebody had been shot here, shot and killed for raising a Ukrainian flag.
And in the middle of the crowd here everyone is gathered. We're sort of in the center of the town outside the administrative buildings here. That's
the regional governor. He's just visiting here. He's just arrived in the last few minutes. He's explaining to people how they're going to get
support from the Ukrainian government in the coming days, that they're going to be bringing humanitarian aid, supplies and support into the town
here.
But the situation for people here is really difficult. There's no electricity. There's no gas. So they've had a very difficult time just in
terms of surviving under the Russians. But what's happened in this town over the past few days is the Russians, and past couple of weeks, as the
Russians knew that they were going to pull out, there was widespread looting. Vehicles looted.
We've been to the bank here. It's completely ran sacked and looted. The police station here we're told was used as a base of torture. That people
would be taken in here and tortured. And if they want to extract more information, then they would take them the 45 kilometers on to Kherson.
I spoke to a young girl here, and I'm telling you a lot of things here because everybody wants to talk. Everyone you speak to at the roadside here
wants to talk. This young lady, 15 years old, she told me, her mother confirmed her story, that in the past -- over the last few days of the
Russians being here, she was taken away, kidnapped, a hood put over her head. She told her she was afraid of being raped. She was only released
yesterday.
This is a town that is only just now getting to grips with the idea of liberation, of what it means to be free, of what it means not to have
Russian rule here. And I think people are -- in all of it we've seen people on the streets, meeting friends they haven't seen for a long time, hugging
each other in tears. But I think also there's a sense of OK, what's going to happen now?
(END VIDEOTAPE)
QUEST: Nic Robertson reporting there from Kherson. Christiane is back with me.
[10:10:01]
Just listening to what Nic was saying and what your forthcoming reports about, you know, he said everybody wants to talk. And what we're learning
now is in some shape or form, men, women, everybody is involved in what you were saying in your earlier answers about this very focused, this very
determined mission that they have, this passion that they have.
AMANPOUR: That's absolutely right, and just to pick up what Nic said, we're going to see what they've left behind. You mentioned that threat to that
young girl. We know that when the Russians were pushed from around Kyiv, the most horrendous horrors, atrocities, alleged war crimes were uncovered,
that the Russians will be prosecuted for and held accountable for. Terrible, terrible stuff that we saw in places like Bucha and around Kyiv.
Now, as you say, almost everybody, whether they're on the front or in the rear, or the civilians as well, are doing their own bit for this war
effort, and that is also something that you're not seeing in Russia. That's also a huge advantage for the Ukrainian side. And there are women on the
frontline, more women in terms of average than in any other NATO country, are on the actual front line right now. They need special equipment.
It was never delivered before until we met, you know, this small NGO trying to do their bit for the war effort. And so this is a sort of -- a nice
story about how they're trying to help the women on the frontlines.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
AMANPOUR (voice-over): At a nondescript storefront in Kyiv covered with plastic against prying eyes, a major war effort is underway. Boxes of kit
reveal a first of its kind, fatigues designed for a mother-to-be.
(On camera): So was there never, Andrii, anything for pregnant women before?
ANDRII KOLESNYK, CO-FOUNDER, "ZEMLYACHKI": Never ever.
AMANPOUR: And how many pregnant women are fighting the Russians?
KOLESNYK: I'm not sure there's a lot, but there are.
AMANPOUR (voiceover): Andrii and Casena (PH) are married TV journalists in real life who now do this work. A female friend turned front line sniper
told them that she was pregnant and needed a new uniform. They are also sending female soldiers smaller boots, lighter Kevlar plates for their flak
vests.
On this day, Roksalana (PH) comes in for a new uniform. She's in an intelligence unit near the front and joined up in March totally unprepared.
It's so valuable to have these people who understand that we are tired of wearing clothes that are three sizes too big, she tells me. We had no
helmets. We had old flak jackets. We wore tracksuits and sneakers. Now we feel that we're humans.
The Ukrainian Ministry of Defense says there are more than 50,000 women under arms. More than 5,000 of them on the frontline. Amongst them,
Andrii's sister.
KOLESNYK: She received a men's uniform, men's underwear, everything that is designed for men.
AMANPOUR: Females also need customized sanitary, medical, and humanitarian supplies. Casena (PH) and Andrii have sent out 3,000 of these care
packages. They have produced 300 uniforms and planned for at least another 2,000, all winterized. And then there is this vital tool.
(On-camera): Oh, my god. I have never seen that. A feminine urinary director for women of all ages. Basically they pee in that, right, if
there's no toilet?
KOLESNYK: No, not in. They pee like men.
AMANPOUR: Look at that. Oh, my God. If only I had known that in all the years I was in the field.
(Voiceover): And as a parting gift, they throw in this book on resilience and courage amid battle and in captivity, which happened to Alina Palina
(PH) five months ago after the fall of Mariupol. She is part of a canine border guard unit and like so many of the port city's defenders, she'd been
hunkering down in the giant Azovstal Steel Plant. She was recently released as part of an all-female prisoner exchange with Russia. We meet at this
pizza bar run by vets.
(On-camera): Were you prepared for life as a POW?
(Voice-over): No, I was not, she says. And we discussed this a lot with the other women prisoners, that life hasn't trained us for such an ordeal.
While in captivity, though, I said, I'll continue my service and I have no plans to stop.
Back at their private procurement center, Andrii says he wishes he could join his sister, father and brother-in-law all at the front. But a physical
disability means that he's not eligible.
KOLESNYK: For a man, it's kind of hard to understand that you can't go there and your sister is there. So I'm trying to do my best here to help
not only my family, but the whole army.
[10:15:03]
AMANPOUR: And the reviews from the battlefield are in. It's just amazing, says Anastasia, I'm happy as a child. The uniform is ideal, it looks great,
and the fabric is very sturdy. Meantime, Roksalana's (PH) new boots are made for marching all the way back to the front.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
AMANPOUR: And President Zelenskyy told me that the Ukrainian war has proved, the women have proved, that bravery has no gender -- Richard.
QUEST: Christiane, fascinating report. Thank you. And bringing us the reality of life at the front in all its extremes. Thank you very much,
Christiane Amanpour in Kyiv.
Now we are waiting for President Biden. He's still got the question of control of Congress, which is hanging in the balance from Tuesday's
elections. However, he's back on the global stage, and he is at the U.N. Climate Summit, hosted by Egypt this year. And there you see him with the
president of Egypt earlier.
It's a very short visit for President Biden. In a matter of hours, he is due to give an address at that COP27, and we are under a short warning that
the president is about to start speaking, addressing the climate conference and after that maybe he then leaves and heads to Cambodia, and then it's on
of course for other meetings in Asia and the Indonesia summit.
So David McKenzie is with us. And David, I'll interrupt you the moment the president starts speaking. So forgive my impotence in doing that. Is it
worth Biden being there? He's going to be there less than three hours.
DAVID MCKENZIE, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, Richard, I think it is worth it from the U.S. point of view because they want to show
leadership, and it's coming off the back of these major legislative wins from a domestic politics standpoint, where President Biden and the Congress
and the U.S. pushed through these bills that are pretty revolutionary in terms of climate emissions cuts, pushing towards a greener economy in the
U.S.
So he has a story to tell. And I expect in the next few moments, he will tell that story, but there is a sense here, Richard, from delegates and
activists I've been speaking to. They want more from the U.S. president, not just to tout their own gains and the U.S. in terms of cutting
emissions, but to get some sense of practical sense of what the U.S. will do in terms of financing poorer countries and developing countries from
dealing with the worst effects of the climate crisis. That is what has been the big theme of this conference. We'll see if President Biden deals with
that in a practical sense -- Richard.
QUEST: But then you have the question of how much he can do. If he loses control, even of one House of Congress, the House of Representatives, that
dramatically will not only shift his power and influence, but also his attention.
MCKENZIE: It will. And I've put that question to the chief climate envoy. I said, well, does the U.S.'s action and progress on climate change depend on
the impact of election results? He said, well, yes and no. According to John Kerry, he said it is better to have, in his view, a president and the
Congress which is looking to deal with the realities of the climate crisis, but the purse strings are held by Congress in the U.S., as you, know,
Richard.
And if they lose the House, the Democrats, it's unlikely there will be major funding through Congress at least for developing nations to fight the
climate crisis. And that is what I've heard time and time again. They want action. They, being leaders of developing nations, to try to deal with
these impacts of flooding, of drought that we've seen this year, and we will see in future years because we're losing the war against climate
change -- Richard.
QUEST: So the 1.5 degrees that is highly in danger, on the other side, you have this requirement of funding. Large sums of money, funding. Is any
progress, real progress, being made on the funding side of it?
MCKENZIE: What you've seen is bilateral agreements. Some of them pretty significant, but not the wholesale trillions, that's trillions with a T,
Richard, that is needed very frequently, it must be said, to try and deal with adapting to the climate change crisis,. Also dealing with emissions
cuts. There is a call from many developing nations, particularly on this African continent, that countries want to say, well, if we do not develop
our natural gas or our oil, we need the money that we would have gotten otherwise.
[10:20:07]
That is a big -- has big dollar signs attached to it. And you haven't seen this wholesale agreement yet. There is a pledge for $100 billion from
developed nations, rich nations, to give annually to developing countries. That hasn't been met for several years. And the issue of loss and damage,
in a way reparations for the countries that are dealing with the worst effects also hasn't been met.
But there are some positive signs that corporations are moving in the right direction, that countries are moving in the right direction, but, you know,
Narendra Modi is not here, Xi Jinping is not here, some of the biggest polluting nations are not here, their leaders. Biden is here, and I think
he wants to show, in his view, that the U.S. is taking significant leadership on this issue right now.
QUEST: Yes. We'll stay with you as we wait because you know, as soon as we leave you, President Biden will come out and start speaking. And it's very
messy. So for a couple more minutes, we'll just go to -- I heard your fascinating interview with John Kerry. He talked, and obviously, being the
business anchor, I latched on to him talking about the trillions of dollars, trillions of dollars every year, he said, which is more than the
amount that any single government.
So you see, David, I was listening carefully to what he said. But if that is the scenario, it's almost impossible to get that sort of money, even if
everybody chips in.
MCKENZIE: Well, if you look at the state of the world economy and the inflationary pressure on many governments, you are not going to afford it
as a government. So what he is saying, and what the U.S. has proposed, is to have this carbon offset program where they allow corporations to offset
their carbon by funding developing nations to transition towards a green economy. That is being criticized by some quarters, calling it
greenwashing. They say they don't want to slow down emissions.
And, you know, and the last few weeks have really poured into the details of the climate crisis, having previously reported on the impact on the
ground, Richard. And it makes for a depressing reading. Every country, every nation in the world, rich and the developing nations, needs to pull
together to come even close to getting to that 1.5 degrees warming that was agreed upon at the Paris agreement.
We're not even vaguely close to meeting that at this point based on the pledges that have come in from countries today. So much more needs to be
done. And while this has been called the climate meetings of action, you haven't necessarily seen that action just yet -- Richard.
QUEST: Now, what is fascinating about COP and is that the leaders all turn up. They make very grand speeches. They make promises that they have no
intention of keeping in many cases. But this is really a technical conference, isn't it? This is really for negotiators. It's a bit like the
WTO summits of old. You know, they all -- the leaders say the nice things. But behind the scenes, there are very competent, professional, but
determined people to hold their nations line in many ways.
Some would arguably say it's stubbornness, others would say it's protecting their rights. Some say it's simply protectionism, and we are waiting to see
-- there's somebody that doesn't look like President Biden, but somebody has just come up to the podium at the moment. There, I don't know if you
could see that, but that does not look like President Biden -- David McKenzie.
MCKENZIE: What I do know is that there are tens of --
QUEST: Sorry, I was just confirming. That definitely wasn't President Biden. Sorry.
MCKENZIE: What I do now, Richard, is that there are tens of thousands of people here, many of them as you say are technocrats working on both
climate deals and their own nations' self-interests. The difficulty that you have, and it's stating the obvious with dealing with the global problem
is that you need global action. And every country and every leader, whether they are democracies or not need to deal with their own issues, and you
speak about the cost. Of course, trillions of dollars, according to the World Bank, that's needed to deal with the climate transition --
QUEST: Right. And there we have the president of the United States. Let's listen to President Biden.
JOE BIDEN, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Good afternoon, everyone. Thank you, thank you, thank you.
Friends, partners, Speaker Pelosi, members of Congress who've traveled here to represent the United States, and fellow leaders, it's an honor.
[10:25:07]
It's an honor to once again participate in this critical summit. I'd like to thank our host, President Sisi for bringing us together at this pivotal
moment. Thank you, Mr. President.
(APPLAUSE)
BIDEN: Let me start by acknowledging that this day is a day of commemoration at home in the United States. It's Veterans Day. America's
veterans and their families, survivors and caregivers, are the very spine and soul of the United States. And on this special day, every day, I honor
all of those who sacrificed for our nation like my son.
I want to thank one proud American veteran, a lifelong public servant and their front and literally one of the most decorated men to fight, special
envoy for climate, John Kerry. John --
(CHEERS AND APPLAUSE)
BIDEN: John, your commitment, your passion, your diplomatic expertise have been absolutely critical. Absolutely critical to delivering incredible
progress on climate issues over the past two years. And I thank you, Pal. Thank you for being my friend.
Here in Egypt, the great pyramids and ancient artifacts stand as testament to a millennia of human ingenuity. We see our mission to avert climate
catastrophe and sees a new clean energy economy not only as an imperative for our present and future, but through the eyes of history.
According to the World Meteorological Organization, the past eight years have been the warmest on record. The United States, in the United States,
we're seeing historic drought and wildfires in the west, devastating hurricanes and the storms in the east.
Here in Africa, here in Africa, home to many nations considered most vulnerable to climate change, food insecurity, hunger follows four years of
intense drought in the Horn of Africa. Meanwhile, the Niger River in West Africa swollen, swollen because of more intense rainfall, is wreaking havoc
on fishing and farming communities.
In Nigeria, flooding has recently killed 600 people. 1.3 million more are displaced. Seasonal livestock migration routes have been used for hundreds
of years are being altered increasing the risk of conflict between herders and local farming communities.
The climate crisis is about human security. Economic security. Environmental security. National security. And the very life of the planet.
So today, I'd like to share with you how the United States is meeting the climate crisis with urgency and with determination to ensure cleaner,
safer, and healthier planet for all of us.
(APPLAUSE)
BIDEN: From my first days in office, my administration has led with a bold agenda to address the climate crisis and increase energy security at home
and around the world. We immediately rejoined the Paris Agreement, we convened major climate summit, and reestablished --
(APPLAUSE)
BIDEN: I apologize we ever pulled out of the agreement. We established major economic and major economies forum to spur countries that are on the
road to raise, raise their climate ambitions. Last year, COP26 in Glasgow, United States helped deliver critical commitments that will get two-thirds
of the world's GDP on track to limit warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius.
(APPLAUSE)
BIDEN: Over the past two years, the United States has delivered unprecedented progress at home. Through a generational investment and
upgrading our nation's infrastructure, we're making our power grid better able to transmit clean energy, expanding public transit and rail, building
nationwide network of electric vehicle charging stations, over 50,000, and this summer, the United States Congress passed and I signed into law my
proposal for the biggest, most important climate bill in the history of our country, the Inflation Reduction Act.
(CHEERS AND APPLAUSE)
[10:30:04]
BIDEN: It includes less than I asked for by a significant amount, $368 billion, to support clean electric, everything from onshore -- offshore
wind to distributed solar, zero emissions vehicles, and sustainable aviation fuels. More efficient electrified buildings, cleaner industrial
processes and manufacturing. Climate smart agriculture and forestry, and more.
Look, our Department of Energy estimates that the new law will reduce emissions in the United States by about one billion tons in 2030 while
unleashing a new era of clean energy powered economic growth. Our investments in technology from electric batteries to hydrogen are going to
spark a cycle of innovation that will reduce the costs and improve the performance of clean energy technology. That will be available to nations
worldwide, not just the United States.
(APPLAUSE)
BIDEN: We are going to help make the transition to low carbon futures more affordable for everyone. Accelerate the carbon nation beyond our borders.
In fact, the International Energy Agency recently concluded that our significant climate investment will, quote, "help turbo charge" the --
excuse me, turbo charge the emerging global clean energy economy. I was reading the quote, sorry.
It's going to shift the paradigm for the United States and the entire world. We also ratify the Kigali Amendment to rally the world and facing
down the production and consumption of HFCs, greenhouse gases, that are thousands of times more damaging than carbon dioxide. And just yesterday,
the United States became the first government to require our major federal suppliers disclose their emissions and climate risks, and set targets for
themselves that are aligned with the Paris Agreement.
(APPLAUSE)
BIDEN: As the world's largest customer, with more than $650 billion in spending last year, the United States government is putting our money where
our mouth is to strengthen accountability for climate risk and resilience. These critical steps are already locking in vital investments in
infrastructure, delivering lower costs for clean energy, spurring good paying union jobs for American workers, and advancing environmental justice
in our communities.
(APPLAUSE)
BIDEN: Folks, we're proving a good climate policy is good economic policy. It's a strong foundation for durable, resilient, inclusive economic growth.
It's driving progress in the private sector. It's driving progress around the world. And sum total of the actions my administration is taking puts
the United States on track to achieve our Paris Agreement goal of reducing emissions, 50 percent to 52 percent below 25 levels by -- 2005 levels by
2030.
(APPLAUSE)
BIDEN: Let me just take a moment to emphasize how meaningful it is that I can say that. I introduced the first piece of climate legislation in the
United States Senate way back in 1986, 36 years ago. My commitment to this issue has been unwavering. Today, finally, thanks to the actions we've
taken, I can stand here as president of the United States of America and say with confidence, the United States of America will meet our emissions
targets by 2030.
(APPLAUSE)
BIDEN: We are racing forward to do our part to avert the climate hell that the U.N. secretary general so passionately warned about earlier this week.
We are not ignoring harbingers that are already here. It's true. So many disasters. Climate crises is hitting hardest those countries and
communities that have the fewest resources to respond and to recover. And that is why last year, I committed to work with our Congress to quadruple
U.S. support to climate finance and provide $11 billion annually by 2024 including $3 billion for adaption. That's why the President's Emergency
Plan for Adaptation and Resilience, PREPARE we call it, to help more than half a billion people in developing countries respond to climate change.
[10:35:07]
We've already requested more than $2 billion for the PREPARE this year. I'm going to fight to see that this and our other climate objectives are fully
funded. Today, as a down payment, we are now seeing more than $150 million in initiatives that specifically support PREPARE's adaptation efforts
throughout Africa including adaptation in Africa, effort that in Egypt and the United States launched together in June.
This includes support for expanding early warning systems to help recover Africa, broadening access to climate financing, providing disaster risk
protection, strengthening food security, mobilizing the private sector, and supporting new training center in Egypt to accelerate adaptation across the
efforts all across the continent.
(APPLAUSE)
BIDEN: My administration has also made the United States the first ever contributor to the adaptation fund last year, and this year, we're doubling
our pledge to bringing our total commitment to $100 million. We're also making sure that every dollar we deliver goes as far as possible, unlocking
larger pools of financing. And the trillions in private investment we know that will be needed.
Folks, we are also supporting the Global Shield, a G7 initiative to better protect the vulnerable countries everywhere from climate related losses and
quickly respond to climate related damages. And G7-led partnership for global infrastructure and investment is working to meet the critical
infrastructure needs in low and middle income countries, with specific focus on climate. A project for facilitating and build on transparency,
partnership, the protections for workers and the environment.
One of the many projects already underway is a partnership between American firms and the governments of Angola to invest $2 billion building new solar
projects in Angola. And everywhere, in every lake around the world, climate adaptation in Africa is working toward energy transmissions. That just
means creating good jobs, spurring inclusive economic growth, and leaving no one behind as we implement sustainable development goals.
Folks, now I know this has been a difficult few years. The interconnected challenge that we face can feel all consuming. The upheaval we're seeing
around the world, especially Russia's brutal attack against Ukraine, has exacerbated food shortages and energy spikes in costs, increasing
volatility in those energy markets, driving up global inflation. Against this backdrop, it is more urgent than ever that we double down on our
climate commitments.
Russia's war only enhances the urgency of the need to transition the world off its dependence on fossil fuels. True energy security means every
nation, it means that every nation is benefiting from clean, diversified, energy future. No action, no action can be taken without a nation
understanding that we can use energy as a weapon and hold the global economy hostage. It must stop.
And so this gathering must be the moment to recommit our future and our shared capacity to write a better story for the world. Let's build on a
global climate progress. Raising both our ambitions and the speed of our efforts. The science is devastatingly clear. We have to make vital progress
by the end of this decade. That's why the United States is rallying the world around climate game-changers.
I launched one such game-changer last year and the European Commission president von der Leyen for global methane pledge. We started it with the
E.U. and eight other countries. In Glasgow, it grew to more than 100 countries. Now more than 130 countries have signed on to covering more than
half of the global methane emissions.
Methane is 80 times more potent than carbon. And it accounts for nearly half, half of a net warning we're experiencing now. So cutting methane by
at least 30 percent by 2030 can be our best chance to keep within reach of 1.5 degrees Celsius targets.
(APPLAUSE)
BIDEN: Today, we're releasing an updated methane emissions reduction act plan which lays out how the United States is meeting the pledge.
[10:40:07]
We're investing more than $20 billion in domestic methane mitigation, to do things like cap orphan wells, leaking methane, improving industrial
equipment in the oil and gas sectors, to reduce emissions. It also lays out strong regulatory actions, including a new proposal from our Environmental
Protection Agency to strengthen standards on methane across sectors, especially from super emitters to make -- just to make sure it's not
released into communities impacting on public health. All told, these steps -- all told these steps will reduce U.S. methane emissions from covered
sources, by 87 percent below the levels of 2005 by 2030.
Folks, another game-changer. It's conserving our natural environment, whether it's the Congo basins forest and peatlands here in Africa, or the
Amazon basin in South America, or forest wetlands, grasslands in the United States, preserving nature is one of the most impactful climate solutions we
have. Some that indigenous people, whose communities have known and have been the stewards of these efforts for a long time in generations, they've
known it.
Here at COP27, we are co-chairing forest and climate partnership to lead a real rapid strides to half deforestation. The best part is, we don't have
to develop any new technologies. We just have to make clear forests are more valuable when they are preserved than when they're destroyed. It's
that basic.
(APPLAUSE)
BIDEN: And those who are able should be chipping into help those countries. In fact, preserve those great forests.
We are bringing together partners across the public and private sector and philanthropic sectors to put a healthy ecosystem at the heart of healthy
economies. This is going to take all of us. It's going to take all of us. We need to harness our capacity to tackle emissions and economic sectors
like international shipping. If the shipping sector were a stand-alone economy, or a stand-alone economy, it would rank as the 10th largest
emitter in the world.
So together with Norway, the United States has launched the Green Shipping Challenge. During this COP, we've seen dozens of commitments from
governments as well as ports, private companies to facilitate green shipping charters and align in the sector with 1.5 degree goal. If we can
accelerates actions on these game-changers, we can reach our goal. We can keep it within reach as well.
But to permanently banned the emissions curve, every nation has to step up. At this gathering, we must renew and raise our climate ambitions. The
United States has acted. Everyone has to act. It's a duty and responsibility of global leadership. Countries that are in a position to
help should be supporting developing countries, so they can make decisive climate decisions. Facilitating their energy transitions, building a path
to prosperity, compatible with our climate imperative.
If countries can finance coal in developing countries, there is no reason why we can't finance clean energy in developing countries.
(APPLAUSE)
BIDEN: I'm pleased to announce today, alongside the European Union and Germany, $500 million package to finance and facilitate Egypt's transition
to clean energy.
(APPLAUSE)
BIDEN: This package will enable Egypt to deploy 10 gigawatts of renewable energy by 2030 while bringing all flying five gigawatts of inefficient gas
powered facilities reducing emissions in Egypt's power sectors by 10 percent. We'll also work with Egypt to capture nearly 14 billion cubic
meters of natural gas, currently flares, vents, or leaks, from its oil and gas operations. And because of this cooperation, Egypt is elevating its
climate ambition and submitting enhanced natural determination contribution.
If we're going to win this fight, every major emitter nation needs to align with the 1.5 degrees. We can no longer plead ignorance to the consequences
of our actions, or continue to repeat our mistakes.
[10:45:07]
Everyone has to keep accelerating efforts throughout this decisive decade. My friends, I came to the presidency determined to make the
transformational changes that are needed. That America needs. And we have to do for the rest of the world. Overcome decades of opposition and
obstacles of progress in this issue alone. To reestablish the United States as a trustworthy, committed, global leader on climate.
As I stand here before you, we have taken enormous strides to achieve that. But I don't stand here alone. This progress is being driven by young people
all across America. Like young people overall in the world, they feel the urgency of climate. They feel it deeply. They're committed to these issues.
They know the stakes. That's their world we are creating, it's not to stand by and allow us to fail in this responsibility. We can't.
That's why, as I look out of all the things that we've accomplished, there's so much more to do. I'm optimistic. For all the work that remains
to be done, we have to put down significant markers of progress. The United States is taking enduring steps to meet our goals. We are delivering out
our promise of leadership, and more and more in the world is standing with us. But determined diplomacy is necessary. We're finding consensus,
building understanding and launching new approaches.
And the inspiring passion of young people, civil society, climate activists, indigenous communities, is literally galvanizing the world. Yes,
the challenges we face are great. But our capacity is greater than the challenge. We must never doubt that. So let's reach out and take the future
in our hands, and make the world we wish to see, that we know we need. A planet preserved for generations to come.
An economy powered by clean diversified secure energy sources. Opportunities unlocked through innovation and cooperation to deliver
equitable, more prosperous, more stable, and more just world for our children. That's why we're here. That is what we're working toward. And we
can do it together. I am confident.
Thank you, thank you, thank you. May God bless you all.
(APPLAUSE)
QUEST: President Biden addressing COP27, a speech of roughly half an hour or so, give or take. What was interesting was the balance between lofty
rhetoric, which we heard at the beginning, and towards the end, and the part in the middle, where he went into a list of things that the United
States is doing or has done, or is proposing to do, which can really be summed up in the sentence he said halfway through, when he said that the
United States will meet its target by 2030, will meet its targets by the start of the next decade.
Of course, we wouldn't expect him to deal with U.K. domestic politics back home. This was designed to rouse the U.S., if you like, raise the U.S. flag
at this particular event. He also, of course, put money on the table to help Egypt in its own carbon capture and its own environmental concerns.
David McKenzie has been following the conference from the beginning. David is with me now at Sharm-el-Sheikh.
And what stood out for you from what was at times sort of a technical laundry list of things but wrapped around it was this rhetoric of what the
U.S.' goals are?
MCKENZIE: Well, I think you had to get into the details because to fix the climate the devil is in the details. I think one line struck me, Richard,
and you might appreciate this, it's President Biden saying we are proving that good economic, good economic policy, good climate policy, should I
say, is good economic policy. He kept hammering home what he said was this need to transition to the green economy, and for the domestic audience
likely in the U.S., that this is something that will create jobs and will create opportunity.
He went through very detailed policies that the U.S. is pushing, and of course, touted his own legislative wins from earlier this year with the
infrastructure package as well as the climate bill, which was known as Inflation Reduction Act.
[10:50:07]
Both of those he said he'd been trying to pass something like it for more than 50 years. Indicating that it is something he's been looking to do for
many years.
QUEST: Right.
MCKENZIE: Also importantly he mentioned the war in Ukraine and said that it shouldn't be an excuse to slow the efforts on climate. In fact, he said
it's an opportunity to become less beholden to nations like Russia for energy security -- Richard.
QUEST: David, one thought briefly. How much -- I mean, he's the president of the United States so he carries vast amount of influence. But how
weakened is he by his U.S. domestic political problems, and people here look at him and say, very nice, Mr. President, but you can't do it?
MCKENZIE: I think the results of the midterm elections, though maybe better than expected, you know, if the Republicans take back the House, you could
get a logjam in pushing through some of these policies particularly when it comes to aggressively pursuing this. It was interesting, though over these
weeks, speaking to U.S. experts, they said because these bills have a 10- year decade time horizon, it's going to be very difficult even for Republicans who may not be that up to speed with climate change efforts to
pull back because they will see these projects, giving their constituents potentially jobs and opportunity.
So the hope is, I think, that the private sector and the move within the domestic U.S. towards a greener economy is something that becomes of a fait
accompli and then you will see more accelerated change.
QUEST: Right.
MCKENZIE: But what I think he was trying to say is that the U.S. is back in terms of climate leadership and he hopes that to continue.
QUEST: David McKenzie, in Sharm-el-Sheikh, David, I thank you. We'll take a break and there's more in just a moment.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
QUEST: Welcome back to CONNECT THE WORLD.
Mira Murati is one of the leading women in tech. Anna Stewart met her to talk about how artificial intelligence is impacting the world of art and
why this could possibly be useful.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
ANNA STEWART, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Artificial intelligence may be life-saving, it may be highly efficient, but in some cases, it can also
be beautiful.
Here city stats from around Dubai have become the brushstrokes of digital paintings created by algorithm. I'm interested to know how close to humans
AI can get. Research company Open AI, which was founded by Elon Musk, believes the key is creativity. It's built a system called DALL-E 2. Type
in any collection of words and the AI will spit out an entirely novel image.
MIRA MURATI, CEO, OPEN AI: We're looking to build systems that can really understand the world in similar ways to the way that humans do. One of the
classic examples is where we ask DALL-E to generate an avocado chair and you can see that it kind of looks like an avocado but it also follows the
function of a chair.
[10:55:10]
STEWART: By being able to mix multiple concepts DALL-E 2 proves how humanlike it can be.
MURATI: This we're trying to go towards these systems that can kind of learn about the world the same way that we do and help us do very difficult
things.
STEWART: Time for me to put it to the test.
(On-camera): All right, so what I would like is a dinosaur, happy dinosaur, let's make it happy, and I want it to be playing a guitar. And I want it to
be on the move. Moment of truth.
(LAUGHTER)
STEWART: Wow. I really like that one. It does look so happy. I mean, it nailed the brief.
(Voice-over): And the point of all this to test the limits of getting computers to think like us.
MURATI: It's really an extension of the human mind. And I hope that we figure out how to deploy it in ways that are robustly beneficial and
effective.
STEWART: Anna Stewart, CNN, Dubai.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
QUEST: Anna Stewart, it's great. Well, artificial intelligence airs on CNN this weekend as part of the "DECODED" series.
This year CNN has partnered with the Dubai Globe Sutter Awards to launch the Off the Pitch Award. The category recognizes an individual or a club
for their impact on wider society, and we will be pleased to announce the nominees for this year's award. We'll take all of that after the break.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
END
