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Connect the World
COP28 Climate Conference Begins in Dubai; Two Israeli Hostages Transferred to Red Cross; Interview with Director-General of COP28 about Climate Change Challenges; COP28 Formally Adopts Loss and Damage Fund; Jerusalem Bus Stop Shooting; OPEC+ Meets on Future Production; How AI Can Combat Climate Change; Students Lead Community-Wide Recycling Initiative. Aired 10-11a ET
Aired November 30, 2023 - 10:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
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BECKY ANDERSON, CNN HOST (voice-over): Hello and welcome to what is a special edition of CONNECT THE WORLD, live from the climate conference in
Dubai. The doors have opened today and we will stay open for a little over 10 days.
Leaders from around the globe will get the chance to deliberate, set up the goals for much-needed climate action and hopefully deliver us all
solutions, because the situation cannot be any more dire.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ANTONIO GUTERRES, UNITED NATIONS SECRETARY-GENERAL: We're living through climate collapse in real time and the impact is devastating.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: It may feel like we may have heard those warnings before and we have, especially from Antonio Guterres, the U.N. chief himself, countless
times, which makes it hard to be optimistic that we can achieve any sort of decisive action.
But so far, the people here think they can. They have already struck down the gavel on one key issue.
We start with breaking news tonight in Israel and Gaza. Within the last few minutes, we've learned two Israeli hostages have been transferred to the
Red Cross and are on their way to Israeli territory.
That news is coming from Israel's military as we await the release of additional hostages by Hamas in exchange for prisoners held, Palestinian
prisoners held by Israel. Now this is all happening on what is day seven of this temporary truce in Gaza.
The pause in fighting extended by another day just moments before it was set to expire earlier today. On Wednesday, Hamas released 16 more hostages,
10 of them Israeli, as agreed in the original truce. Israel freed another 30 Palestinian prisoners.
U.S. secretary of state Antony Blinken back in the region, working to extend this truce or pause even further. He has met with Israel's prime
minister today. And he also talked with the Palestinian Authority president Mahmoud Abbas in the West Bank.
Oren Liebermann back with us this hour from Tel Aviv -- Oren.
OREN LIEBERMANN, CNN PENTAGON CORRESPONDENT: We just got word moments ago, as you point out, from the Israeli military, that the first two Israeli
hostages have been released by Hamas and transferred to the Red Cross.
It's actually quite early for this to happen. We have seen it happen much later. So at least for this evening -- and, of course, we have to wait for
more hostages to be released -- but at least for this evening, the process moving smoothly.
After this, after the other Israeli hostages, women and children, are released, we shall wait to see how long it takes for Israel to release
Palestinian women and children held in Israeli prisons.
And then it's back to the exact same question we were trying to answer in the early hours of this morning.
Is it possible to extend this truce by another day?
That is one of the goals of secretary of state Antony Blinken in his meetings here, his day-long visit to Israel and the occupied West Bank and
meeting with prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
He talked about Israel's right to defend itself and stood by Israel's right to defend itself as he promised that more humanitarian aid needs to go into
Gaza to alleviate the demands of a dire humanitarian crisis unfolding there.
He then met with Palestinian Authority president Mahmoud Abbas. One of the issues that he brought up there was a concern, a serious concern, over
increased Israeli settler violence against Palestinians in the occupied West Bank.
And we will see if that leads to any change. But of course, the overall mission is to try to make sure that this fragile truce, which has been on
thin ice at times over the course of the past seven days, holds at least a little bit longer.
Right, now the goal is to extend it by 24 hours at a time.
But at some point, the major question is how many women or children are still being held by Hamas and Gaza?
That is all that this truce is for. When it comes elderly men, when it comes to soldiers who are men and women, that may require an entirely
different agreement. And keep in mind, Becky, how sensitive and how long it took to get to the first one.
It was weeks of difficult, diplomatic work.
Is there enough time to expand this beyond the current women and children agreement?
ANDERSON: And if it doesn't get extended, what happens?
LIEBERMANN: Then Israel has made very clear, including Netanyahu today, that it's back to war. The war will resume. This has always been a
temporary pause in the fighting, extended only as far as the truce held. Israel and Hamas made clear the terms under which the fighting would stop.
But if that truce falls apart or if the terms are reached.
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That is to say there are no more women in children to release, according to the agreement. Israel has made clear, defense minister Yoav Gallant said
it, that Israel's next days of the war will be even stronger.
In fact, Netanyahu's Arabic spokesperson on Twitter said that another one of the issues he brought up with Blinken was the next phase and the next
stage of the war.
The U.S. has privately tried to urge Israel to make sure that it carries out more precise strikes, essentially that southern Gaza doesn't look like
northern Gaza currently does after the end of this -- as this second stage gets underway or gets poised to get underway.
But we will see here. And right now, the truce is holding. And we need to wait and see if there is another 24 hour extension and anything beyond
that. That is the major diplomatic push right now.
ANDERSON: This is a truce; it's very specifically not a cease-fire. You've explained what will happen from the Israeli perspective, should Hamas not
deliver on what is its obligations today.
And this agreement that has been mediated very specifically by Qatar and its regional partner, Egypt, what is the perspective from the Palestinians
at this point?
LIEBERMANN: So the Palestinian Authority is essentially meeting with Hamas. The White House has committed to a two state solution. They said
that will be part of the diplomatic push after this.
But it's unclear how much relevance frankly they have in terms of the agreement between Israel and Hamas. That was mediated by Qatar, the U.S.
and Egypt.
That I think Blinken meeting with Hamas is an acknowledgment that they play a significant role here, especially as we see an increase in clashes, an
increase in conflicts in the occupied West Bank.
And so Blinken is trying to keep a pulse on that as well and keep the Palestinian Authority engaged, because that is a critical relationship. We
do not hear often about the cooperation between Israel and the Palestinian Authority. But it is crucial in a number of different issues, including, of
course, security.
ANDERSON: Oren Liebermann is in Tel Aviv for you. That is your breaking news this hour, keeping a very close eye here from Dubai on exactly what is
going on with regard to those releases, the release of hostages held by Hamas and, indeed, the release and exchange of those Palestinian prisoners
held in Israeli jails. More on that as we get it.
Let's return to what is going on in Dubai at the COP28 summit. The event is already on the case about fixing climate finance. It has formally adopted a
damage fund. The UAE, which is hosting this year's gathering, has pledged $100 million to that fund.
And COP28's president was also very clear about being inclusive when he opened the event earlier today. Have a listen.
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SULTAN AL JABER, PRESIDENT, COP28: I pledge that I will run an inclusive and transparent process, one that encourages free and open discussion
between all parties.
I ask you to start this COP with a different mindset. I ask you to adopt a different way of thinking and I ask you to be flexible. We must ensure that
this COP delivers the most ambitious global effect possible.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: The idea of inclusivity is a major focus of the COP28 director general. He sat down with me to discuss how he is welcoming new ideas to
tackle what is this ongoing climate crisis. Have a listen.
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ANDERSON: There is a big focus here on technologies to tackle emissions and let's talk about CO2 to begin with. And so I think methane is also an
important issue to discuss. Critics say that these technologies are just a get out of jail card for the fossil fuel industry.
Your response?
MAJID AL SUWAIDI, DIRECTOR GENERAL, COP28: We know that many different countries have different circumstances. They have access to different
technologies. They have different imitations or maybe they have different opportunities.
And if they have a solution or somebody has a solution that can be scaled, that can be affordable in their circumstance, why are we excluding them?
Why we not encouraging them to take those actions that they need to address the challenge today?
Because remember, what is COP28 about?
COP28 is about the next seven years. It's about achieving the goals of Paris, achieving them by 2030. That means that we need to have practical
conversations about what we can do today.
ANDERSON: If we are going to get anywhere close to the goal set in Paris in 2015 we need to address greenhouse gases across the board and that
includes methane.
What sort of when do you think COP28 here in Dubai can get on methane?
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As you know, our COP president is an expert in this field. He's been working very closely with industry. Please stay tuned. He is going to
deliver some real results. But moreover, the global community needs that. The global community is calling for that.
ANDERSON: China has warned against empty slogans here in Dubai at COP28. That is coming from the world's biggest coal consumer and top emitter of
CO2.
What does a pragmatic approach to these talks by Beijing look like?
And how can the UAE get a win on the China file here?
SUWAIDI: We've been working with all parties to make sure that they come together with us at COP28 to deliver results. And the thing about climate
change is that we can't do it on our own. No country can do it on its own. We all need to work together.
We all know the challenges that countries are facing around the energy systems that they have. We all know that we need to achieve our development
ambitions, our economic growth stories.
We are not against progress, we are not against economic growth. We need to be pro planet, pro environment. And we think that there are very clear ways
that we can achieve our economic aspirations while we do that in a sustainable way, while we do that with respect to the environment and the
climate.
And so what we need to do is say, OK, there is a transition to 2050.
How do we help people to transform their energy systems?
By the way, there's also about how we transform agriculture.
How do we look at health?
How do we look at adaptation?
How do we look at people in vulnerable circumstances and situations?
And how do we move the world toward the future we want to see rather than focusing on short term issues that are keeping us from getting there?
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ANDERSON: David McKenzie joining me now.
Rather than focus on short term agendas or issues, COP28's DG there talking about this wide-ranging effort to really make sure that everyone is
included in what is going on here and what these long term solutions are.
Fossil fuels -- phasing down or phasing out of fossil fuels -- whether the COP presidency likes it or not -- is very definitely a conversation, a
discussion that is going on now that is very -- they are very mindful of and there is no clear indication of what happens on that narrative, is
there, at this point?
DAVID MCKENZIE, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: There isn't but there is a great need, activists and the U.N., to push for a phaseout of
fossil fuels. Now the key will be in the details and that is a difficulty here.
Different countries have different agendas. I think there's a sense that everyone wants to solve this issue, of course, because it is a huge crisis
for the planet. But people are also looking at their own issues, in their own countries.
And it's not just the case of wealthy nations that have built their economies like here in the UAE on fossil fuels but also nations like Zambia
and Namibia, which know they have fuel in the ground that they could exploit.
They want to be compensated if they don't take that money out of the ground because they are not allowed to because of the future of these discussions.
And so it is very important.
ANDERSON: The narrative here and for many of the big oil producing countries is that what we need to do is ensure that there is a managed
energy transition -- energy transition being they need to underscore that that is the narrative. Energy transition, transitioning away from fossil
fuels.
How much success do you see in that happening?
For example, China is an enormous investor in renewables. And yet it is a massive emitter of CO2 through its dependence on coal, for example.
MCKENZIE: There are no simple answers here. Countries like China are a perfect example. They're leading the way for energy transition in terms of
the technology they are bringing. And we look at some of the key issues here that are facing the continent.
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MCKENZIE (voice-over): If there was ever any doubt, the future is now. A year of disasters spanning the globe, made so much worse by the climate
crisis.
GUTERRES: The air is unbreatheable, the heat is unbearable and the level of fossil fuel profits and climate inaction is unacceptable. Leaders must
lead.
MCKENZIE (voice-over): These critical climate meetings led by a major fossil fuel producer were controversial before they even began. Leaks were
released this week by the Senate for Climate Reporting.
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They show what appeared to be briefing papers for COP president Sultan Al Jaber, who is head of the state oil company, allegedly pitching fossil fuel
deals for the UAE on the side.
The COP president calls the allegations false and incorrect.
JABER: Sometimes I'm told that you need to engage with governments of oil and gas companies to put pressure. And sometimes I'm told that you can't do
that. So we are damned if we do, we're damned if we don't.
MCKENZIE: The UAE is saying that they are here because all countries, including oil producers, need to come up with solutions to the climate
crisis.
ANN HARRISON, CLIMATE ADVISER, AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL: Yes, they need to be part of the negotiations. But what you can't have is somebody who is
putting fossil fuel companies' interests ahead of the negotiations and the outcomes that we need.
MCKENZIE (voice-over): The outcome that the U.N. and many others hope, for a concrete plan for a fossil fuel phaseout. A recent U.N. report shows that
the globe is wildly off track to meet emissions targets.
ANI DASGUPTA, CEO, WORLD RESOURCE INSTITUTE: It's critical for countries to come together and agree to a systematic reduction and a timely
reduction. This is a true moment for leadership.
It's not about technology or technical things. It's about leadership, that this is something we need to, do we need to come together. Rich countries
have to help poor countries.
MCKENZIE (voice-over): The harsh reality, countries that have the least responsibility for climate change will feel the most catastrophic impact.
KAISA KOSONEN, HEAD OF DELEGATION, GREENPEACE: At this COP, they need to have guarantees that there will be a fund with sufficient money in it to
deal with the loss and damages. So the impacts, they can no longer avoid and they just have to cope with.
MCKENZIE: If that doesn't happen what's the consequence of that?
KOSONEN: The consequence is lost lives, livelihoods, futures.
MCKENZIE (voice-over): And the consequence for all of us if bold steps aren't taken now are too terrible to contemplate.
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MCKENZIE: Of course in the last hour, you have had this development on the story and pledges are coming in for these countries to give money. And if
we look at some of those numbers, there really is $100 million coming from the UAE.
Germany is giving a similar amount. The United States looks pretty small in comparison but maybe they will be putting more money in. Just a short time
ago, the European Union saying they're putting at least 200 million euros into these funds.
The question is, Becky, you need money constantly. You need a lot of it, potentially $1 trillion a year to deal with the impact of climate change
for poorer countries.
How will this actually be implemented?
But we cannot take away from the fact that this is a good step right on the first day.
ANDERSON: Absolutely it is. Climate activists have already criticized the amount that the U.S. has put in. I think we expected it to be low.
But do we expect it to be that low?
MCKENZIE: We did know that the U.S. was pushing against this entire concept for years. They got taken over the line in Egypt last year. I don't
know if this is symbolic; maybe there will be more money coming in. But that is just a drop in an ocean of climate change issues.
MCKENZIE: Good to have, you thank you.
More now on our breaking news. The Red Cross has just transferred two Israeli soldiers to the IDF, the first of several hostages expected to be
handed over by Hamas to the ICRC.
In the meantime, Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu doubling down on his promise to, quote, "eliminate Hamas" following a deadly attack in
Jerusalem.
Hamas says two members of its military wing carried out a shooting at a bus stop earlier on Thursday, killing at least three people and wounding seven
others, according to Israeli police, the government wing killed by two soldiers and a civilian.
And in the West Bank, the Palestinian health ministry says a 21-year-old man was killed by Israeli forces during a prisoner release early Thursday.
They say he was not among the detainees who was being freed. CNN international correspondent Ben Wedeman covering both stories for us from
Jerusalem -- Ben.
BEN WEDEMAN, CNN SR. INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Yes, this attack could have happened this morning at one of the entrances to Jerusalem, sort of a
rush hour.
Two men from a Palestinian suburb of East -- occupied East Jerusalem came in their car. They had an M16 and a pistol with them. They opened fire on a
group of people at a bus station, killing a 27 year old woman and a 67 year old woman and a 73-year-old man.
The assailants were shot by soldiers and bystanders and soon after, the military wing of Hamas came out and claimed responsibility for this attack.
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In the aftermath of the attack, prime minister Netanyahu said this is why Israel needs to hand out weapons to civilians.
The other incident happened in the early hours of the morning, where people were gathering in the town of Beitunia, which is in the West Bank, waiting
for the arrival of another group of Palestinian detainees and prisoners by released by Israel.
Israeli forces went inside the town of Beitunia, clashes ensued and this 21-year-old man was shot dead by Israeli security forces, bringing the
total number of Palestinians killed in the West Bank by Israeli forces and settlers since the 7th of October to 274.
ANDERSON: Ben Wedeman reporting.
Just to be absolutely clear, two Israeli hostages have been released so far by Hamas, if I was unclear about, that apologies. Two Israeli soldiers
currently today released by Hamas. More on releases as they come hostages. Israeli hostages released today. More as we get it.
Coming up, the juxtaposition is not lost on anyone. COP28 kicking off here in Dubai as OPEC+ debates oil production targets for 2024. That story is
just ahead.
And later this hour, a look at how artificial intelligence can help us deal with climate change. I will speak with an expert on the subject.
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ANDERSON: Welcome back. You're watching CONNECT THE WORLD, coming to live from Dubai in the COP28 climate conference. We will talk about a split
screen moment.
OPEC+ oil producers are meeting to discuss crude production targets for the new year, as COP28 dignitaries here in Dubai discuss ways to decrease
reliance on those very same fossil fuels, a coincidence not lost on anyone here in Dubai. Anna Stewart joining me now -- Anna.
ANNA STEWART, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes, the OPEC meeting is underway. OPEC+ includes Russia as well. This will be a difficult meeting where really
these Big Oil producers need to agree to even more oil output cuts. And that's based on an oil price that has been looking pretty miserable in
recent months.
In September, we were looking at oil price of under $100 a barrel. Now we're looking at around $80. Slightly up now, $84 a barrel, up 1.5 percent
today. I think that might be based upon the fact that we are very close now to hearing about some sort of agreement.
But the question is, will the cartel and Russia be willing to accept cuts?
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So far Saudi Arabia has had to shoulder a huge bulk of them. They may well agree to extend the cuts they've already made into next year but only if
the rest of the cartel can agree to match it.
ANDERSON: Anna, thank you.
Still to come on CNN, our next guest says it's time to shift from climate change mitigation to adaptation and how artificial intelligence can help.
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ANDERSON: Welcome back. You're watching CONNECT THE WORLD with me, Becky Anderson. Your headlines this hour.
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ANDERSON (voice-over): At least one person was killed and 10 others were injured after Russian missile strikes in Eastern Ukraine. Local officials
say three towns in the Donetsk region were hit by a barrage of rockets around midnight on Wednesday.
Many people were trapped in the rubble of their homes. Four children are among those injured.
A man named a suspect in the disappearance of Madeleine McCann will stand trial next year in Germany on unrelated sexual offenses. Christian Bruckner
is charged with three counts of rape and two other sex offenses against children.
Three-year-old Madeleine disappeared from an apartment in Portugal in 2007. In 2020, German prosecutors said they have concrete evidence linking
Bruckner to her disappearance.
Singer-songwriter Shane McGowan has died after a prolonged period of ill health. He was the front for the 80s band The Pogues, which blended punk
and traditional Irish music. McGowan formed the band in London in 1982.
They were best known for the Christmas-set "Fairytale of New York." He was 65.
The summer of 2023 was the hottest on record and scientists warn it could get even hotter if more action is not taken. Take a look at how global
surface temperatures have risen.
This timeline starts in 1880, where you will see more blue or cooler tones. As the years go by, the planet heats up with deep orange hues or hotter
temperatures filling that map.
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Carbon dioxide emissions, which contribute to heating up the planet, have also increased. On this timeline, tracing the past two decades, the CO2
looks at first like a haze, a light haze.
But by the end of 2022, the map is deeply saturated with the greenhouse gases.
Well, stopping these trends before they bring catastrophic consequences is the role of these regular gatherings. COP28 kicked off earlier today here
in Dubai and we already have some news to report.
A long way to deal on a loss and damage fund was provided a short time ago. The idea is to provide finance for poorer countries hit hard by climate
change.
Another key focus issue will be how to bring down the use of coal, oil and gas, the fossil fuels which are the primary drivers of the climate crisis
and we will be watching closely as to how those conversations develop.
Many experts have suggested different solutions to mitigating the climate crisis. My next guest thinks that AI could be a powerful tool. Parag Khanna
has developed the first AI power platform that provides location-based analytics that capitalize on climate risk and opportunity.
His main view on climate change is those alternative viewpoints that, while we must continue to try to mitigate global warming, adapting to a changed
climate should get more attention than it is getting.
Well, this is the first year there will be a global stocktake which tracks how much progress we are making toward the goals of Paris. By such
timelines, effectively, we're not making any progress. In fact, we're going backwards at this point. Let's just start there. I know you hate the word
global stocktake (ph) and so do I, quite frankly. It kills any conversation dead.
PARAG KHANNA, FOUNDER AND MANAGING PARTNER, FUTUREMAP: It does, it does.
ANDERSON: And it's crucially important, of course. Let's start there and let's talk about what your arguments are.
KHAN: Well, global stocktake was clearly not designed by an ad or a branding agency. After all, the acronym is GST, which we think of as goods
and services tax. And stocktake is one word rather than two.
But I think the deeper point, you and I would agree, is that we need to stop just taking stock and instead start acting. And I think there are many
reasons for that.
First of, all the maps you just showed, how tragically behind the curve that we are on reducing the total volume of greenhouse gas emissions, at 58
gigatons per year, the map heating up.
The global average temperature I'm sure did cross 2 degrees Celsius, by the way, from the pre industrial base In November of this year, decades ahead
of schedule.
And so when it comes to taking stock, I think we know that it is time for much more action. And that calls for radical solutions, not only on the
mitigation side, which is to say more decarbonization, a lot more technology but then adaptation.
Because you cannot pretend that we can wait until 2040 when we may or may not achieve certain goals of decarbonization and ignore, along the way, all
of the human suffering and tragedy that is unfolding as a result of climate volatility.
ANDERSON: So let's talk about adaptation. Then
KHANNA: Well, adaptation means many things. For one, it is the infrastructure investments that we need to retrofit our built environment.
What are we doing around food, water and energy systems?
What are we doing to cool certain areas?
What are we doing to build seawalls and deal with floods and hurricanes and coastal sea level rise and these sorts of things?
So physical adaptation to accept if we have, to but of course, cope with the negative realities, some of it also involves population relocation. If
you take those maps that you showed and you put in the population density of the world, let's bear in mind some of the reddest, hottest regions are
the most densely populated.
Let's look at South Asia for example.
ANDERSON: You advocate for young skilled people to be mobile, migrate and take advantage of nomad visa programs. Many will say that will just benefit
the richer or becoming richer countries.
KHANNA: There's a bigger question on the future of human geography, right?
As we adapt to climate change and that involves individual people, yes, moving and, of course, they always have been even if climate change were
not to take place or have occurred. India and Pakistan are among the largest countries of global immigration in the world in terms of people
leaving every single year.
That will accelerate due to climate change again. The fact is that, if you care about adaptation for people, individual people, not just millions but
billions, you have to accept that migration is something that is happening already, according to the International Organization for Migration and
other agencies.
One third of the total number of displaced people in the world today are displaced because of climate change.
Would you rather I ask -- rhetorically, obviously -- prefer that they simply stay put and wait for solutions to come their way?
So the world is not prepared for a lot of the things that adaptation requires. And one of them is accepting a great deal more climate migrants.
ANDERSON: You say that we've gone too far, that our complex environment has been bent too much and we won't be able to snap it back into place.
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And so how do we adapt to support vulnerable nations now?
KHANNA: That's right. We look at things like the loss and damage fund, where it has been an argument about reparations and this kind of thing and
it pinpoints countries by the number of countries.
It does not really think, as we were saying earlier, about the geography of those countries, how they are affected, the populations of those and
prioritize accordingly.
It is so inherently political, right?
And, of course, the amount of capital committed is so paltry one wonders why all that time was spent in that discussion, right, as you know from
today's discussion, yes, there was some agreement about a loss and damage fund.
But voluntary commitments right and over what timeframe and this kind of things. So we really have to focus on the technologies. My view is that, if
you want to do good for the world, you can just boil it down to two very simple, layman's kinds of things that I advocate for.
One is that you either move people to the geographies of resources where they can live a better life and contribute to global society. Or you move
technologies to people where they are needed if they are not mobile. Two things, move people to resources or technologies to people.
That is what adaptation looks like in the real world. And we don't even need to be here, Becky, to know what those things are, whether it is water
desalination or drought resistant seeds or again flood controls and better irrigation. All of those things, we know exactly what to do, how much it,
costs and the cost is getting cheaper. So let's just go on and do it.
ANDERSON: Are we being irresponsible or even reckless in not trying to mitigate the effects of climate change and focus our efforts on that?
Much worse lie for us over the horizon.
KHANNA: To the contrary. At least 90 percent of total expenditure related to combating climate change already goes into mitigation and
decarbonization. We're not going to stop doing that.
Quite simply, if for no other reason, even if we were to never have COP28, COP29, COP30, then the technological cost has come way down. We are going
to do it.
ANDERSON: So if we were to change our sort of mindset and the ratio of funding from mitigation, which you are right to point out, is where the
focus at present, if we were to change that from mitigation to adoption and adaptation -- and I hope our viewers have a sense of what the differences
are -- what would that look like?
What would that flipping ratio look like?
KHANNA: If it is 95 percent mitigation now and 5 percent adaptation, I would not reduce the mitigation. All the money in the world is available
and should be deployed to confront climate change, this great existential civilizational challenge. No doubt about it.
It's simply a lot more on the adaptation side. It is pressing, it is existential, it is right now necessary. It is the human lives that are
being lost, because we are not investing sufficiently in adaptation.
ANDERSON: What will success or failure look like here in Dubai?
KHANNA: That is a great question. Well, we already know because so much of the conclusions are baked into the early preliminary deliberation process.
So it's not likely that the 11th hour -- and it's always the 11th hour -- you will be here at 4 in the morning I think to cover --
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KHANNA: But it's always left to the last minute and it's not going to be a strong, powerful statement. Even if it was, we don't know exactly what
that's going to be followed up by.
So to, me success is not about the words, by the separate deeds, the diplomacy of the deed. I think that is an important message for us to be
setting right now to everyone who is here and everyone who's watching, is that they can take real actions, both in mitigation and adaptation to be
clear, not just one or the other.
And so I want success to look like a really bold commitment of resources toward more adaptation in addition to mitigation.
ANDERSON: Which means cash and lots of it.
KHANNA: And technology, please. Let's remember that the cost of that technology is much less.
ANDERSON: Right. But in order to invest in that technology, we talk about. Cash
KHANNA: And it doesn't have to come from just the government, let's be clear. I think the mobilization -- and you've seen this in successive years
-- the huge presence of the private sector, the global corporate community -- in the past we could say, sure, that was virtue signaling.
Sure that was greenwashing. Now we know that they do view it as a significant investment opportunity. So there is all of that money
available.
ANDERSON: And if you can de-risk it to the extent that more will come in, it will be good news. I know that's a big focus for the meeting here. Thank
you very much indeed. Always a pleasure.
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ANDERSON: We are following breaking news out of Israel for you. The IDF says the Red Cross has just transferred two Israeli hostages to the IDF and
they are now in Israeli territory. Oren Liebermann back with us from Tel Aviv.
Oren, what we know?
LIEBERMANN: Becky, those two hostages who have been released, the two women, are now at the Hatzerim airbase. That is where they will be
transported from that point by helicopter or by ambulance, the hospitals for further medical evaluations.
As has been done so far, they have a quick medical checkup on Israeli territory and then they will go through the more complete medical checks.
And that includes both physical condition and mental health conditions.
[10:40:00]
Once they arrive at the hospitals, that's obviously a much larger process. The IDF says that the reason that they are coming into different groups
today -- and they've already said that there should be other groups released later -- is because they are held in different locations.
And that has been one of the key challenges here especially as we get down to the last few women and children that we believe are held by Hamas.
They're not all held in a single location and so it takes time to move them around.
That's one of the reasons Hamas demanded that Israel not fly drones or have the ability to do that discreetly. And then we will see how the evening
develops here now that the first two are in Israeli territory.
We also have a bit more information about them. One of them is 21-year-old Mia Schem. She was at a nature party with her friend, Eliatori Donner (ph),
who is still a captive in Gaza. She is a tattoo artist and wants to make that her profession.
We've seen her before because one of the first Hamas propaganda videos released after the attack, she was visible. Mia Shin was visible. And she
was injured on her side and her arm. So that would be something that we are looking to learn more about when we hear from the doctors who are treating
her.
The second hostage so far released is 40 year old Amit Soussana. She was in kibbutz Kfar Aza. That was one of the targets of the terror attack. She was
taken from her shelter, taken captive -- they've been captivity for 55 days to this point, Becky.
ANDERSON: Oren Liebermann is in Israel for you.
Well the global south is arguably more vulnerable to climate change than much wealthier countries. And I will speak with a Ugandan climate advocate
about this pressing issue and more. Stay with us.
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ANDERSON: A key focus at this year's COP28 here in Dubai is how to bring down the use of coal, oil and gas, the primary drivers of global warning. A
short time ago, I spoke to Vanessa Nakate, who is a Ugandan climate advocate, about this and how it directly impacts countries more vulnerable
to climate change. Have a listen.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
VANESSA NAKATE, UGANDAN CLIMATE ADVOCATE: As an activist, I would like to see leaders here prioritize the lives of people over profit.
That will look like addressing the root cause of the climate crisis and that is fossil fuels. They account for 75 percent of global greenhouse gas
emissions. And it's important that we address them. If we do not, anything else is a destruction.
ANDERSON: You've been very vocal in your criticism of what you call false solutions to phase out fossil fuel. I wonder what you mean by those false
solutions.
And what do you make of the argument that says, whilst phasing down, phasing out fossil fuels, we must secure the energy for the world to
function, for economies to grow?
[10:45:00]
And therefore, an orderly energy transition is what's needed.
NAKATE: Well, first, fossil fuel companies have promised to lift people out of poverty for decades. And yet, in Africa, in sub-Saharan Africa, 600
million people don't have access to basic electricity.
So I think what people need is energy. They don't need fossil fuels. And energy can be considered investing in renewables.
On the issue of phasing out fossil fuels, I've also heard of phasing out fossil fuel emissions. I think for me that is where the issue of false
emissions comes in, things like carbon storage, carbon capture.
I think they are fairytale solutions. And I think that they are expensive. It is expensive and risky and it hasn't reached the commercial scale to
address the climate crisis. It also doesn't address the issues of air pollution, which kills more than 5 million people annually.
ANDERSON: We've seen countries, like the UAE, here, for example, buy up enormous quantities of land across Africa for what are known as carbon
offset projects. These are controversial.
There is an argument that suggests that a country that is built on fossil fuels is looking for an opportunity to offset their emissions. And that
will help African countries. The forest will be retained. The land will be managed.
What do you make of that argument?
NAKATE: I think that the people that are in the best position to take care of our forest and retained biodiversity have been Indigenous communities.
And when we talk about carbon offsets, I think those are also a distraction, a false solution that only allows business to continue as
usual.
That only allows fossil fuel companies to have the license to continue polluting and destroying the lives of so many people.
I think that lands should be left in the hands of Indigenous communities that have been able to preserve our biodiversity for hundreds of years. I
think the other -- the other issue with carbon offsets is that they risk leading to land grabbing in certain communities on the African continent.
ANDERSON: Climate finance is a really big talking point here as it was at the African climate conference months ago. Again, the UAE pledged some $4.5
billion in catalytic financing opportunities. We have not seen those pledges from other countries.
What is your message to those watching this interview today?
NAKATE: Well, my message for those watching this interview is that climate finance is critical in addressing the climate crisis. And it comes in
another a number of ways.
When you look at the African continent, it has 39 percent of the world's potential for renewable energy. And yet it receives only 2 percent of
global investments. That means there's finance needed for investments in renewables on the African continent.
There is finance needed to address issues of adaptation, issues of loss of damage. When we talk about this finance, we're talking about billions and
millions.
ANDERSON: Some will say it is literally trillions a year that is needed at this point.
What we have seen here already at the outset, in Dubai, is the announcement of the adoption of a loss and damage fund. We are talking about wins at an
event like this and we need wins. The world needs wins. That is most definitely a win.
We are seeing the pledging coming -- perhaps not sufficient in any way as of yet. But the pledges are coming in. And there is a mechanism to
operationalize that fund.
Your thoughts?
NAKATE: I think that, first of all, loss and damage is an issue that has been impacting so many communities. I think it is really important. And I
consider it a win to see the operationalization of this fund.
But now that it has been, you know, set in place, we have to start talking about some of the underlying constants (ph), like how do we ensure the
replenishment of this fund, to ensure its sustainability?
How the COP (ph) is going to put money into the fund?
[10:50:00]
How much are they talking about?
What is the scale of this fund?
So I think that this is a good step in the right direction when it comes to the loss and damage front. But now we have to address, how much is needed.
And who is going to pay for that?
As much as pledges are coming in, they are still limited. I think that the cost of loss and damage are in billions. And most of the pledges are coming
in millions. So what we need is billions and not millions for the loss and damage fund.
It's also important that, you know, the money reaches communities that really need it. Another note is the issue of accountability. It's not the
first time that we've received pledges from governments.
But then these pledges are not fulfilled. And that is where accountability plays in, that if these pledges are being made, then they must be
fulfilled.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ANDERSON: Some wise words.
Still ahead, how a group of college students are trying to ramp up recycling efforts in Abu Dhabi. That, after this.
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ANDERSON: You join us here at the COP28 climate conference, with climate change at the forefront in Dubai this week. We want to highlight some local
efforts to curb the climate crisis.
A team of students from NYU Abu Dhabi leading a community wide recycling initiative aiming to convert 7,000 households in the UAE to recycling. CNN
Academy's Alexander Christu (ph) has this story.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
ALEXANDER CHRISTU (PH), CNN ACADEMY CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Landfills are filling up at rates higher than ever before. By 2050, solid waste
generation is expected to have increased by roughly 70 percent worldwide.
MICHEL MOKBEL, OPERATIONS LEAD, NADEERA TECHNOLOGIES: We came today (ph) because of the large and ambitious targets that we have (INAUDIBLE)
recycling and because there's a lot of scrap today between (INAUDIBLE) and ambitious for Abu Dhabi and Dubai are reaching 80 percent. But it's much
too early recycling (INAUDIBLE) are not there yet.
CHRISTU (PH) (voice-over): But a group of students at NYU Abu Dhabi are trying to change this. Supara (ph) is on a journey to teach residents in
this Dubai community how to recycle. They are going door to door, providing free recycling bags and education for each family.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Hi.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Hi.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: (INAUDIBLE). We are giving out free recycling bags.
JANE MUERDO, FRESHMAN, NYU ABU DHABI: I remembered my inspiration. It was my mentor also, (INAUDIBLE), from Kenya. She used to dedicate her life to
conserving the environment. I decided to follow in her footsteps and try to conserve the environment.
CHRISTU (PH) (voice-over): The program, Yalla Return, which uses an app to track recycling habits and reward residents who think green, will be
implemented in neighborhoods across Abu Dhabi and Dubai, where the recycling culture is still young.
KANIKA MEHTA, DISCOVERY GARDEN RESIDENT: (INAUDIBLE) we need it in the UAE. I've been doing it for a couple of years myself. So I have a big
cardboard box. When I put all of my plastic (INAUDIBLE) throughout the week and month, I collect it over 6 months.
[10:55:00]
And then I pass it back to India (ph). It's an NGO that helps recycle those plastics into products which is usable and sellable (INAUDIBLE).
MUERDO: When one person and another person come together to help conserve the environment, it goes to a larger and it means a lot. As they say in
Swahili, which says habana (ph) (INAUDIBLE), it means that one small drop and another small drop, when combined, symbolize the (INAUDIBLE) bring up
the ocean.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: One, 2, 3.
CHRISTU (PH) (voice-over): By spreading awareness and making recycling a habit, we can divert waste from landfills for a greener future -- Alexander
Christu (ph), CNN.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ANDERSON: One of our CNN Academy Abu Dhabi cohort produced that.
That is it for the CONNECT THE WORLD, live from COP28 in Dubai today. I'm Becky Anderson, stay with CNN. "STATE OF THE RACE WITH KASIE HUNT" is up
next.
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END
