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U.N. Holding Its Annual Climate Summit COP28; EPA Proposes 10-Year Deadline To Remove Lead Pipes Across U.S.; Henry Kissinger, A Dominating And Polarizing Force In U.S. Foreign Policy, Dies At 100. Aired 4-4:10a ET
Aired December 01, 2023 - 04:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
COY WIRE, CNN 10 ANCHOR: What`s up lovely people. It`s December 1st and my favorite day of the week Friyay. I`m Coy Wire. This is CNN 10, only 31 days
left in the year 2023. Let`s finish this week, finish this year strong.
First up news from the world`s climate summit happening in Dubai in the United Arab Emirates. It`s called COP28. The letters stand for Conference
of the Parties, and the numbers stand for the 28th year that this summit is taking place. It`s organized by the United Nations for the countries that
are members of the U.N. framework convention on climate change. Let`s go to Faiz Jamil now for more about COP`s history and what it hopes to
accomplish.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
FAIZ JAMIL, CNN SENIOR PRODUCER: COP stands for Conference of the Parties. The gatherings are intense technical negotiations brokered by the U.N.
Countries are meant to work together to coordinate a global effort to reach net zero greenhouse gas emissions, but progress at success of COP summits
has been limited. The first climate COP summit took place in Berlin in 1995 and representatives from more than 170 states or territories attended.
Two years later at COP3 in Japan countries agreed to the Kyoto Protocol in which 37 industrialized states or territories were legally bound to start
reducing their emissions. But the biggest polluter at the time, the United States refused to ratify the agreement because it didn`t oblige developing
nations like China to cut emissions. And without the United States and China on board, the Kyoto Protocol began to crumble.
Then at COP21 in Paris, there was a breakthrough. The Paris Agreement was adopted by more than 190 parties, including the U.S. and China its ambition
was to limit global warming to well below two, but preferably 1.5-degree Celsius above pre industrialized levels. Since then progress has been slow
and pledges by governments across the world haven`t gone far enough, even as deadly extreme weather has gotten more intense and cost of in action has
skyrocketed.
At COP26 in Glasgow country signed an agreement that for the first time acknowledged the role of fossil fuels in the climate crisis. But the
conference also had its shortcomings. India successfully demanded that the final agreement would commit countries to phase down rather than phase out
planet heating coal.
COP27 in Egypt saw countries agreeing to set up a loss and damage fund to help vulnerable nations hit by climate disasters. But while the intent to
limit warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius was reaffirmed progress so far has fallen far short, where scientists save needs to be.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
WIRE: Now at this year`s summit already global delegates have agreed to establish a damage fund for those nations hit hardest by the climate
crisis. The United Arab Emirates and Germany already pledged 100 million to this fund. The U.K. promised 60 million pounds. The U.S. committed 17.5
million and Japan contributed 10 million.
Since last year summit in Egypt, more than 80 countries have voiced support for language around phasing out fossil fuels. However, many wish to
continue using fossil fuels as long as the climate pollution is captured before it enters the atmosphere.
Moving on now to news back in the United States, the environmental protection agency proposed to remove lead pipes from the us water system.
Why? Lead is an extremely toxic heavy metal and studies have linked exposure to it to significant health and developmental problems, especially
for kids. New lead pipes have been banned in the U.S. since the 1980s, but there are still about 9 million lead service lines in the country according
to the EPA. And Illinois and Rhode Island are the states with the highest proportions of service lines due for replacement.
The EPA proposal says lead service lines must be replaced within 10 years. The project will require billions of dollars, but the agency analysis
suggests that the benefits would be 4 to 10 times greater.
Ten second trivia. What sport helped ease mounting tensions between China and the U.S. during the height of the cold war?
Ping Pong, Pickle ball, Tennis, or Badminton?
Chinese leader Mao Zedong invited the U.S. table tennis team to China in 1971. Those matches helped break the ice ahead of the Secretary of State
Henry Kissinger`s groundbreaking secret trip to China months later.
One of the most influential and controversial foreign policy figures in American history, Henry Kissinger has died. The former U.S. Secretary of
State and National Security Advisor was 100 years old. CNN`s Richard Roth has a look back at the defining moments of Kissinger`s career.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I know all of you will want to hear from the new Secretary of State.
RICHARD ROTH, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Henry Kissinger never really needed an introduction on the world stage again, Kissinger, the most famous statesman
of the last half of the 20th Century celebrated and controversial.
As Richard Nixon`s National Security Advisor and Secretary of State, the diplomat wielded, enormous power and influence, so trusted that it was
Kissinger who went to China on a secret mission to explore a historic opening of U.S. relations with communist China.
HENRY KISSINGER, FORMER SECRETARY OF STATE: Whoever went would be alone in Beijing with no communication. And therefore, if he didn`t know Nixon`s
mind, he might do foolish things.
ROTH: Vietnam casualties mounted as the Vietnamese gained territory Nixon and an undiplomatic Kissinger thought more bombing of the north would help.
Kissinger approved secret bombings of north Vietnamese units in Cambodia without congressional approval. He would say sometimes statesmen have to
choose among evils moral compromises in messy conflicts, Kissinger, and his Vietnamese counterpart lay duck toe were awarded the Nobel peace prize for
their role in negotiating a cease fire.
KISSINGER: I have to say, I have never dealt with a group of people as treacherous as the north Vietnamese leadership.
ROTH: Kissinger insisted trouble on the home front hurt chances to succeed in Vietnam.
KISSINGER: We lost the war because we were divided. And also because we were too uncertain about what we wanted.
ROTH: Kissinger`s support for a coup in Chile and pro U.S. military strong men in other parts of the world, drew criticism.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Arrest Henry Kissinger for crime.
ROTH: Kissinger`s legacy would be contested decades later when he testified in Congress at the age of 91. In the Middle East, Kissinger
performed what came to be known as shuttle diplomacy, to separate Israeli and Arab forces, setting the stage for future peace accords.
When Nixon resigned, as President, Kissinger stayed on as Gerald Ford`s Secretary of State. His opinion still widely sought after, by governments
and businesses, after leaving public office.
KISSINGER: You want to leave your country better off than you found it. And there`s nothing in private life you can do that`s as interesting and as
fulfilling.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
WIRE: Today`s story getting a 10 out of 10 comes from Lowell, Massachusetts, where a middle school opened its own barber shop. Any
student at Sullivan Middle School can receive a free haircut from a professional barber during school on Mondays by booking an appointment
online. The salon named Husky Kutz after the school`s mascot aims to break down barriers like finances and maybe transportation that could keep kids
from access to looking and feeling their best.
If any of y`all ever need a fresh cut, come holla at your boy, I`ll take care of it for you. Have you looking like Mr. Clean? All right, superstars,
I have had an awesome week sharing and learning with you. Thank you for what I believe is your greatest superpower. Your curiosity, being open and
curious about news happening near and far, not content to maintain the status quo. That`s what it`s all about.
Multi-millionaire and advisor to U.S. President`s Bernard Baruch once said, "Millions saw the apple fall, but Newton asked why."
Now, shout out time, Mrs. Becker`s class at Nautilus Middle School in Miami Beach, Florida. Muchas gracias for all the lovely letters. I can`t tell you
how much this means to me. My heart completely melted in a puddle all over the floor.
All right, now Rockets racking it out at Neenah Middle School in Neenah, Wisconsin, rise up. Go out and make someone smile today y`all. Remember you
are more powerful than you know. I`m Coy Wire. This is CNN 10. It`s been a blessing to spend this week with you.
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