Pool Reports of April 22, 2021

WH in-town pool report #1/ Pool gathers

Hi everyone,

Pool has gathered at the Palm Room doors on a bright but cool day ahead of POTUS and VPOTUS's remarks at session one of today's climate summit.

WH in-town pool report #2/ East room

Pool is now in the east room, where a climate-themed set has been built in the middle. It includes a big plant at the center of a round table, four tall (maybe 8 foot?) white boxes containing moss and a temporary wall with decorative vegetation.

There are also two lecterns where VPOTUS and POTUS will speak (each has a glass of water on a table beside it) plus at least three big portrait-style video screens.

WH in-town pool report #3/ POTUS remarks on climate (no questions)

POTUS and VPOTUS entered the east room at 8.04am.

At 8.07am POTUS, standing at a lectern, said: "When people talk about climate, I think jobs."

He talked about his infrastructure plan creating jobs and investing in clean energy.

"The science is undeniable. The cost of inaction keeps mounting."

He said he sees an opportunity to create millions of jobs.

The US is setting out to cut greenhouse gases in half by the end of the decade, he added. But he noted: "No nation can solve this crisis on our own."

"Scientists tell us this is the decisive decade."

"Countries that take decisive action now... will reap economic benefits in the future."

"We have to move, we have to move quickly to meet these challenges."

POTUS sat down at 8.15am.

Earlier VPOTUS said. "As a global community it is imperative we act quickly and together to confront this crisis."

She noted that disadvantaged communities are hardest hit by climate change around the world.

More detail to follow.

WH in-town pool report #4/ More detail on POTUS remarks (part one)

POTUS wore a dark suit, white shirt and blue and red striped tie. The words 'Leaders summit on climate' were written in white on a blue backdrop.

He began: "Good morning to all our colleagues around the world. To world leaders taking part in this summit, I thank you. Your leadership on this issue is a statement to the people of your nation and people of every nation, especially our young people, that we're ready to meet this moment.

"And meeting this moment is about more than preserving our planet. It's also about providing a better future for all of us. That's why, when people talk about climate, I think jobs. Within our climate response lies an extraordinary engine of job creation and economic opportunity ready to be fired up.

"That's why I proposed a huge investment in American infrastructure and American innovation, to tap the economic opportunity that climate change presents our workers and our communities, especially those too often left out and left behind.

"I want to build a critical infrastructure to produce and deploy clean technology, both those that we can harness today and those that we'll invent tomorrow. I talk to the experts and I see the potential for a more prosperous and equitable future.

"The signs are unmistakable. The science is undeniable. The cost of inaction keeps mounting. The United States isn't waiting. We are resolving to take action. Not only our federal government but our cities and our states, all across our country, small businesses, large businesses, large corporations, American workers in every field."

More to follow.

WH in-town pool report #5/ More detail on POTUS remarks (part two)

POTUS continued: "I see an opportunity to create millions of good paying middle class union jobs. I see line workers laying thousands of miles of transmission lines for a clean, modern resilient grid. I see workers capping hundreds of thousands of abandoned oil and gas wells that need to be cleaned up and abandoned coal mines that need to be reclaimed, putting a stop to the methane leaks and protecting the health of our communities.

"I see auto workers building the next generation of electric vehicles and electricians installing nationwide 500,000 charging stations along our highways. I see the engineers and the construction workers building new carbon capture and green hydrogen plants to forge cleaner steel and cement and clean power. I see farmers deploying cutting edge tools to make soil of our heartland the next frontier in carbon innovation.

"By maintaining those investments and putting these people to work, the United States sets out on the road to cut greenhouse gases in half – in half – by the end of this decade.

"That's where we're headed as a nation and that's what we can do if we can take action to build an economy that's not only more prosperous but healthier, fairer and cleaner for the entire planet. You know, these steps will set America on a path of a net zero emissions economy by no later than 2050 but the truth is America represents less than 15% of the world's emissions. No nation can solve this criss on our own, as I know you all fully understand.

"All of us, all of us, and particularly those of us who represent the world's largest economies, we have to step up. Those that do take action and make bold investments in their people, in clean energy future, will win the good jobs of tomorrow and make their economies more resilient and more competitive. So let's run that race and win more, win more sustainable future that we have now, overcome the existential crisis of our times."

More to follow.

WH in-town pool report #6/ More detail on POTUS remarks (part three)

POTUS continued: "We know just how critically important that is because scientists tell us that this is the decisive decade. This is the decade we must make decisions that will avoid the worst consequences of the climate crisis. We must try to keep the earth's temperature to an increase of 1.5 degrees Celsius.

"The world beyond 1.5 degrees means more frequent and intense fires, floods, droughts, heat waves and hurricanes tearing through communities, ripping away lives and livelihoods, increasingly dire impacts to our public health. It's undeniable – you know, the idea of accelerating and punishing reality that will come if we don't move. We can't resign ourselves to that future.

"We have to take action, all of us, and this summit is our first step on the road we'll travel together - God willing, all of us - to and through Glasgow this November and the UN climate change conference to set our world on a path to secure, prosperous and sustainable future. The health of communities throughout the world depends on it, the wellbeing of our workers depends on it, the strength of our economies depends on it.

"The countries that take decisive action now to create the industries of the future will be the ones that reap the economic benefits of the clean energy boom that's coming. We're here at this summit to discuss how each of us, each country, can set higher climate ambitions that will in turn create good paying jobs, advance innovative technologies and help vulnerable countries adapt to climate impacts.

"We have to move, we have to move quickly to meet these challenges. The steps our countries take between now and Glasgow will set the world up for success to protect livelihoods around the world and keep global warming at a maximum of 1.5 degrees Celsius. We must get on the path now in order to do that.

"If we do, we'll breathe easier, literally and figuratively. We'll create good jobs here at home for millions of Americans and lay a strong foundation for growth in the future and that can be your goal as well. This is a moral imperative, an economic imperative, a moment of peril but also a moment of extraordinary possibilities. Time is short but I believe we can do this and I believe that we will do this.

"Thank you for being part of this summit, thank you for the commitments you have made, the communities you're from, God bless you all and I look forward to progress that we can make today and beyond. We really have no choice. We have to get this done."

Pool was ushered out as POTUS sat down at a C-shaped table with John Kerry on his left and Antony Blinken on his right. Blinken spoke next, starting: "Good morning. Good afternoon. Good evening. We are so grateful to have all of you with us today.

"As President Biden and Vice President Harris have made clear, this administration intends to do more than any in US history to meet the climate crisis. What the United States can do at home can make a significant contribution toward keeping the earth's warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius. That's why we're raising our ambitions, as the president described, and we will meet the new targets we set."

WH in-town pool report #7/ POTUS speaks again

POTUS is speaking again at the climate summit. Live stream here:

https://www.whitehouse.gov/live/

(Pool does not have access to him this time.)

WH in-town pool report #8/ Lunch lid

A lunch lid "with exception for the climate summit" has been called until 1pm.

WH in-town pool report #9/ Two minute warning for briefing

We've had a two minute warning for the briefing by Press Secretary Jen Psaki, Special Presidential Envoy for Climate John Kerry and National Climate Advisor Gina McCarthy.

WH in-town pool report #10/ Briefing begins

The press briefing began at 1.44pm. Jen Psaki said: "Happy Earth Day, everyone." She introduced Gina McCarthy. John Kerry is standing nearby, a binder under his left arm.

Livestream here:

https://www.whitehouse.gov/live/

WH in-town pool report #11/ Briefing over

The White House press briefing ended at 2.53pm.

WH in-town pool report #12/ Lid

A travel/ photo lid was called at 4.09pm.