On Tuesday, CBS Mornings joined the climate hysteria that NBC and ABC engaged in Monday evening. The network warned that “we are running out of time” and “it’s now or never” for the world to abandon fossil fuels before “climate catastrophes become much worse.” Strangely missing from the coverage was any mention President Biden calling for an increase in domestic oil production to help decrease soaring gas prices.
“Coming up, climate scientists say we are running out of time, people,” co-host Gayle King melodramatically warned viewers as she teased the upcoming report. She added: “The key findings in a new report that warns we have to change our fossil fuel reliance right now.”
Introducing the segment minutes later in the 7:30 a.m. ET half hour, fellow co-host Nate Burleson continued to sound the alarm: “A new United Nations report on climate change says the world needs to move away from fossil fuels, and quickly, to have any hope of preventing a climate disaster in the future.” He implored: “Now, there is some good news, the world’s leading climate scientists say we still have time to avert a catastrophe if we act now.”
Correspondent Ben Tracy kept up the hyperventilating:
It’s now or never, scientists say, to avoid the worst impacts of climate change. The new U.N. report says greenhouse gas emissions must be cut nearly in half by 2030 to have any chance of limiting global warming to 2.7 degrees Fahrenheit. Any warmer than that, and floods, droughts, fires, and other climate catastrophes become much worse.
A soundbite ran of United Nations Secretary General Antonio Guterres fretting: “We are on a fast track to climate disaster.” Tracy interjected: “The U.N. Secretary General says many governments and businesses are not doing nearly enough to cut their pollution.” Another clip played of Guterres scolding: “Simply put, they are lying. And the results will be catastrophic. This is a climate emergency.”
“The report says the world must, essentially, stop burning coal, dramatically reduce the use of oil and gas, and quickly transition to cleaner forms of energy, such as wind, solar, and nuclear power,” Tracy urged.
CBS Mornings ignored the obvious contradiction of the Biden administration wanting an increase in domestic oil production while also trying to shut down the fossil fuel industry. NBC Nightly News at least took note, albeit from the left, when correspondent Anne Thompson asked Climate Envoy John Kerry: “Is President Biden backing away from his climate commitments by suggesting that we need to increase fossil fuel production?”
CBS’s climate change fearmongering was brought to viewers by Stanley Steemer and Sandals Hotels & Resorts. You can fight back by letting these advertisers know what you think of them sponsoring such content.
Here is a full transcript of April 5 segment:
7:36 AM ET TEASE
GAYLE KING: Coming up, climate scientists say we are running out of time, people. The key findings in a new report that warns we have to change our fossil fuel reliance right now.
7:41 AM ET SEGMENT
NATE BURLESON: A new United Nations report on climate change says the world needs to move away from fossil fuels, and quickly, to have any hope of preventing a climate disaster in the future. Now, there is some good news, the world’s leading climate scientists say we still have time to avert a catastrophe if we act now. Ben Tracy has more.
[ON-SCREEN HEADLINE: Dire Climate Report; Scientists Say Climate Disasters Can Be Stopped, If We Act Now]
BEN TRACY: It’s now or never, scientists say, to avoid the worst impacts of climate change. The new U.N. report says greenhouse gas emissions must be cut nearly in half by 2030 to have any chance of limiting global warming to 2.7 degrees Fahrenheit. Any warmer than that, and floods, droughts, fires, and other climate catastrophes become much worse.
ANTONIO GUTERRES [U.N. SECRETARY GENERAL]: We are on a fast track to climate disaster.
TRACY: The U.N. Secretary General says many governments and businesses are not doing nearly enough to cut their pollution.
GUTERRES: Simply put, they are lying. And the results will be catastrophic. This is a climate emergency.
TRACY: The report says the world must, essentially, stop burning coal, dramatically reduce the use of oil and gas, and quickly transition to cleaner forms of energy, such as wind, solar, and nuclear power.
And accelerate the transition to electric vehicles. There is optimism because the cost of EV batteries and renewable energy have dropped dramatically.
But given the overall lack of climate action, scientists say we may also need costly technology, like this facility we visited last year in Iceland, that sucks planet-warming carbon dioxide emissions out of the air.
For CBS Mornings, I’m Ben Tracy.
