One of the key reasons President Trump removed the United States from the so-called Paris climate accords was the fact that the U.S. was one of the few countries seriously trying to meet and exceed the goals that were set. While the liberal media decried the President’s move, the CBS Evening News may have inadvertently corroborated his point on Tuesday when they noted the United Nations’ attempt to “reboot the accords.”
After failing new anchor Norah O’Donnell boasted that “CBS News is the only U.S. broadcast network joining media outlets around the world in a project highlighting the crisis” at a U.N. meeting next week, senior foreign correspondent Mark Phillips admitted most of the countries that signed on were not adhering to the agreement.
“Norah, it's been three years since the Paris climate accords,” he recalled. “Yet, in that time the amount of planet-warming greenhouse gases has actually gone up, which is why the U.N. has decided to call this summit to try to reboot the accords.”
Phillips was reporting from the U.N. for his interview with U.N. General Secretary Antonio Guterres. In addition to both of them saying that “nature is angry”, Phillips tried to get Guterres to blame Trump’s decision to withdraw the U.S. for the failure of other countries to live up to their promises:
GUTERRES: And you cannot play tricks with nature. Nature strikes back, and we are seeing nature striking back, and this is a very serious problem.
PHILLIPS: How much of a problem is it that it's Washington's position? Are you hearing other countries say, "Well, if they won't, why should we?"
GUTERRES: No, I don't think that is the problem anymore, because the risk is a global risk. It's not a risk for one country or another.
“In order to participate in the summit, the U.N. has demanded that governments promise to further reduce the use of greenhouse-producing fossil fuels,” Phillips reported. Then, in a disappointed tone, he added: “President Trump has decided not to attend.”
The transcript is below, click "expand" to read:
CBS Evening News
September 17, 2019
6:51:43 p.m. EasternNORAH O’DONNELL: World leaders are set to address the global climate crisis at the U.N. next week. CBS News is the only U.S. broadcast network joining media outlets around the world in a project highlighting the crisis. Mark Phillips joins us now from the U.N. Mark.
MARK PHILLIPS: Norah, it's been three years since the Paris climate accords. Yet, in that time the amount of planet-warming greenhouse gases has actually gone up, which is why the U.N. has decided to call this summit to try to reboot the accords. I sat down a short time ago with U.N. General Secretary Antonio Guterres.
[Cuts to video]
ANTONIO GUTERRES: Nature is angry.
PHILLIPS: Nature is angry.
GUTERRES: And you cannot play tricks with nature. Nature strikes back, and we are seeing nature striking back, and this is a very serious problem.
PHILLIPS: How much of a problem is it that it's Washington's position? Are you hearing other countries say, "Well, if they won't, why should we?"
GUTERRES: No, I don't think that is the problem anymore, because the risk is a global risk. It's not a risk for one country or another.
[Cuts back to live]
PHILLIPS: In order to participate in the summit, the U.N. has demanded that governments promise to further reduce the use of greenhouse-producing fossil fuels. President Trump has decided not to attend.
O’DONNELL: Alright, Mark Phillips, thank you.
