Pool Reports of September 17, 2021

In-town pool report #1

Good morning from the White House, where the president has an early start. The first event is virtual.

8:00 AM In-Town Pool Call Time

8:30 AM THE PRESIDENT reconvenes the Major Economies Forum on Energy and Climate (MEF) to galvanize efforts to confront the global climate crisis
South Court Auditorium
In-House Pool and Pre-Credentialed Media Spray at the Top (Gather 8:15 AM – Stakeout Location) [RSVP here by 6:30 AM EDT]

9:00 AM Out-of-Town Pool Call Time

10:00 AM Supplemental Pool Call Time

10:00 AM THE PRESIDENT receives the President's Daily Brief
Closed Press

12:20 PM THE PRESIDENT departs Joint Base Andrews en route Dover, Delaware
Joint Base Andrews
Supplemental Travel Pool

12:55 PM THE PRESIDENT arrives in Dover, Delaware
Dover Air Force Base
Supplemental Travel Pool

1:25 PM THE PRESIDENT arrives in Rehoboth Beach, Delaware
Rehoboth Beach, Delaware
Out-of-Town Travel Pool

Briefing Schedule

11:45 AM Press Briefing by White House COVID-19 Response Team and public health officials

In-town pool report #2--pool spray

POTUS addressed the MEF in a virtual conference. He faced a large screen with seven world leaders, including UK prime minister Boris Johnson. Biden cited the recent UN climate report. He said the findings "represent a code red for humanity…we have to act and we have to act now." He said he's working to pass climate measures.

More to come.

POTUS was joined by Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Special Envoy for Climate John Kerry.

POTUS was sitting at one of three desks on a stage in the South Court Auditorium decorated with video screens, including three that looked like windows with clouds moving in the background over solar panels.

Here's background on the Major Economies Forum on Energy and Climate.

President Biden will reconvene the Major Economies Forum on Energy and Climate (MEF) on September 17 to galvanize efforts to confront the global climate crisis.

The virtual meeting builds on the Leaders Summit on Climate the President hosted in April and comes six weeks before the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP 26) in Glasgow, which will set the course for global climate efforts over the coming decade.

President Biden has returned the United States to the Paris Agreement and committed at the Leaders Summit to reduce U.S. emissions 50 to 52 percent below 2005 levels in 2030, in line with limiting warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels. Other countries also announced steps at the Leaders Summit in line with the 1.5-degree limit.

The latest findings of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change released last month and an accelerating cycle of climate-driven disasters around the world have underscored the urgency of dramatically scaling up action this decade to keep the 1.5-degree goal within reach.

At the MEF meeting, the President will emphasize both the urgency and the economic benefits of stronger climate action. He will call on leaders to strengthen their climate ambition heading into COP 26 and in the years beyond. The President also will outline plans to leverage the MEF post-Glasgow as a launchpad for collective, concrete efforts scaling up climate action through this decisive decade.

In-town pool report #3--Climate forum attendees

Joining the President in person:
Secretary of State Antony Blinken
Special Presidential Envoy for Climate John Kerry

In attendance virtually:
President Alberto Fernandez, Argentina
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, Bangladesh
President Charles Michel, European Council
President Ursula von der Leyen, European Union Commission
President Joko Widodo, Indonesia
President Moon Jae-In, Republic of Korea
President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador, Mexico
Prime Minister Boris Johnson, United Kingdom
Secretary General António Guterres, United Nations

In-town pool report #4--More from pool spray

The pool spray video is available on the White House website. Here's a summary.

Secretary of State Antony Blinken opened the session by stating the purpose was "to strengthen our collective response to the climate crisis."

"No challenge will have a more significant impact on the world or require a greater level of international cooperation. And no challenge ranks higher on the list of global priorities for this administration."

He then referred to last month's report by the United Nations' Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, saying it offered "irrefutable evidence of the crisis now upon us." He then highlighted some of the report's findings.

"The science is clear and it's up to the countries assembled here today to lead a decisive global response."

Blinken introduced POTUS, who said they were honored to host the meeting as a followup to the April summit the White House hosted.

"That summit made good on a commitment I made to the American people that the United States would return immediately to the world stage to address the climate crisis."

He said it was "somewhat presumptuous" of him to point out to them the consequences of inaction then referred to some of the recent weather events.

"Over the last two weeks, I've traveled across the United States to see the damage and destruction from the record hurricanes, record floods and wildfires...Climate continues to change across Europe, Africa and Latin America and you've endured massive flooding."

The intergovernmental panel's findings "represents a code red for humanity" and "the time to act is really narrowing...to get too close to a point of no return. We don't have a lot of time. So we have to act, all of us, we have to act and we have to act now."

POTUS said he called today's meeting "to candidly assess our progress" on strengthening the climate efforts as the group promised ahead of the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP 26) in Glasgow in six weeks. He said he was grateful to the leaders in the group who have strengthened their contributions under the Paris Climate Agreement and put forward ambitious targets for 2030.

"Thanks to your leadership, countries representing more than half of the global GDP are committed to taking steps that will keep us within reach of our joint pursuit of limiting warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius. But, but, we know there's still a lot of work to do and if anything our job in my view has grown more urgent."

He said "without adequate commitments from every nation in this room, the goal of limiting warming to 1.5 degrees slips through our hands and that's a disaster."

POTUS said "we have to bring to Glasgow our highest possible ambitions. Those that have not yet done so, time is running out."

POTUS then said he was working to pass "historic investment to modernize our climate resilient infrastructure, to build a clean energy future that creates millions of jobs and ushers in new industries of the future."

He restated the US commitment to reduce greenhouse gas emissions between 50 and 52% below 2005 levels by 2030 and a goal of a carbon-free power sector by 2025 and by 2030 50% of cars sold in the US must be electric.

POTUS said the US is working with the EU and others to reduce global methane emissions and cited "big steps" the administration has already taken domestically, like plugging leaks and capping abandoned gas wells. He urged the leaders to join the US in a pledge to reduce global methane emissions by at least 30% below 2020 levels by 2030.

POTUS also called for more progress to support developing countries as part of a collective goal of mobilizing $100 million a year from developing nations.

He said whatever commitments are made at Glasgow, "we all must resolve together in Glasgow to continue strengthening our ambition and our actions next year and throughout the decisive decade to keep us below 1.5 degrees, keep that within reach."

POTUS said he wants to use the MEF "to forge a political momentum and consensus to drive concrete actions" in key spheres of energy: industry, land, and ocean.

He said he plans to bring together ministers in January to discuss clean energy goals and he plans "to convene a leaders level gathering so we can take stock of the collective progress we've made."

POTUS closed by underscoring "the urgency of this moment and the tremendous opportunity before us."

"I look forward to continuing this work together and hearing how you plan to contribute to the climate ambition the world so urgently needs.The time is now. The time is now."

POTUS then turned the meeting over to Special Presidential Envoy for Climate John Kerry and the pool was ushered out.

In-town pool report #5--UN General Assembly logistics

The White House Press Office passes this on about next week's UN General Assembly meeting.

Please see below for information regarding the upcoming 76th United Nations General Assembly.

Press can follow this link to get information on access to the host feeds of the event. Additional accommodations and access to streams will be available in lieu of having additional cameras in the space due to COVID restrictions. All technical specifications are detailed in the document. The President will not be having any additional meetings at UNGA, and any bilateral is on the margin.

Please note that we are approved to have only 8 members of the pool + the wrangler inside the building due to strict COVID guidelines.

Please turn in your passports and send over names of those who will be in the pool by today, Friday September 17th at 6 PM in lower press.

In-town pool report #6--More UN logistics

White House Press office sends this follow-up on the logistics for next week's UN General Assembly.

For those who asked, you may bring a copy of your passport if you do not have your actual passport on hand.

In-town pool report #7--Correction on a climate change date

Biden misspoke during the virtual MEF meeting on the date by which the US is aiming to have a carbon pollution free electricity grid. He said the goal was by 2025 but the White House says the date is 2035.

In-town pool report #8--handoff to the supplemental travel pool

POTUS is motorcading to Joint Base Andrews, which is being covered by the supplemental travel pool.

In-town pool report #9--link to UNGA info.

The hyperlink in my earlier message about UN General Assembly info got stripped out in the email handoff. Here is the URL for those who need it.

https://www.un.org/en/media/accreditation/pdf/GA76_NMD_media_resources.pdf

Supplemental' Pool Report #1 - Checking in

Hello from your supplemental pooler on this rainy Friday.

The pool has been tested and is now loading the vans.

We will motorcade with POTUS to JBA and then travel with the small AF1 to Dover Air Base.

Supplemental' Pool Report #2 - Motorcade rolling

The motorca?de started rolling at 11.59. Your pooler did not spot the President. We are now en route to JBA.

Supplemental' Pool Report #3 - JBA

We reached JBA at 12.20 after an uneventful ride. The motorcade passed the sea of white flags planted on the Mall near the Washington Monument to mark the hundreds of thousands of lives lost to Covid-19 in the US.

POTUS exited his car at 12.21 wearing a dark blue suit. He boarded AF1 without stopping to talk to the press and waved at the top of the stairs.

He was greeted by Col. Matthew Jones, Commander, 89th Airlift Wing.

We will be wheels up shortly.

Per the WH

Traveling to Rehoboth Beach, Delaware with the President:
Annie Tomasini, Assistant to the President & Director of Oval Office Operations
Russell Travers, Deputy Assistant to the President and Senior Deputy Homeland Security Advisor
Stephen Goepfert, Special Assistant to the President & Personal Aide to the President

Supplemental' Pool Report #4 - Dover Air Base

AF1 landed at 12.54 at Dover Air Base.

POTUS exited at 1.02 and went straight to the helicopter.

He was greeted by Col Matthew Husemann, Commander, 436th Airlift Wing, Dover Air Force Base.

POTUS boarded Marine One at 1.03.

M1 was wheels up at 1.06.

Handing off to travel pool now.

Have a good weekend.

Pool Report #1 - Waiting for Arrival

Hello all,

Good afternoon from Rehoboth, Delaware. It's 1:20pm, and I'm going to be your pooler this weekend. Pool has been swept, and we're waiting for POTUS.

Pool Report #2

President Biden landed at 1:29pm in Marine 1 and then got in his car. The press was stationed quite far, and he did not come over to take questions.

Pool Report #3

Pool broke away from the motorcade at around 1:37, and Biden was dropped off at his house.

Pool Report #4

Lid was called at 1:50. Hope you have a great Friday!

Pool Report #5

The White House passes this along for planning purposes:

On Monday, the President will return from Rehoboth Beach to the White House. He will then travel to New York for the 76th Session of the United Nations General Assembly. That evening, the President will meet with Secretary-General of the United Nations Antonio Guterres.

On Tuesday morning, the President will deliver remarks before the UN General Assembly and then return to the White House.

On Wednesday, the President will convene a virtual COVID Summit on the margins of the UN General Assembly.

On Friday, the President will host the first-ever in-person Quad Leaders Summit at the White House with Prime Minister Scott Morrison of Australia, Prime Minister Narendra Modi of India, and Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga of Japan.

Pool Report #7

Forwarding from White House:

Attributable to NSC Spokesperson Emily Horne:We have been in close touch with our French partners on their decision to recall Ambassador Etienne to Paris for consultations. We understand their position and will continue to be engaged in the coming days to resolve our differences, as we have done at other points over the course of our long alliance. France is our oldest ally and one of our strongest partners, and we share a long history of shared democratic values and a commitment to working together to address global challenges.