Opening of Biden's International Climate Summit 'Marred' by Significant Technical Difficulties
The Biden administration’s two-day virtual climate summit got a shaky start as technical difficulties plagued speeches by Vice President Kamala Harris and President Joe Biden.
Harris and Biden kicked off the Leaders Summit on Climate Thursday morning with two separate speeches about climate change in the United States.
However, both speeches were hard to hear because of an awful microphone echo.
Biden’s Earth Day climate summit kicks off with a grand NatoGeo-style space footage opener (only missing the David Attenborough voiceover) and speeches from the VP and Biden, unfortunately marred by an awful microphone echo.
You can watch it here:https://t.co/OUQgVdmqJN
— Alexander Kaufman (@AlexCKaufman) April 22, 2021
The issue was fixed shortly into Biden’s speech in which he pledged that the United States would reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 50 percent.
“These steps will set America on a path of net-zero emissions economy by no later than 2050,” Biden said.
“But the truth is, America represents less than 15 percent of the world’s emissions. No nation can solve this crisis on our own, as I know you all fully understand.”
Biden addressed the attending forty heads of states, including Russian President Vladimir Putin, Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, calling on other countries to follow his lead in making similar commitments to cut emissions.
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Another technological glitch appeared later in the morning as it seemed French President Emmanuel Macron’s speech was cut off by a series of technical difficulties.
Macron was in the middle of his speech when a voice-over said “Thank you very much, Mr. President” and Biden, Secretary of State Antony Blinken and the Special Presidential Envoy for Climate John Kerry looking confused were shown on the screen.
Russian President Vladimir Putin was then pulled up, looking unsure of what to do, and asked a question to someone offscreen before he was given the floor.
Blinken appeared to explain that Macron’s comments were taped and Putin was live.
Macron remarks cut off by Putin at the Biden climate summit. Blinken seems to be saying that Macron was on tape and Putin live
— Shaun Tandon (@shauntandon) April 22, 2021
The summit is part of the Biden administration’s effort to rejoin worldwide efforts to reduce climate change. Biden signed an executive order to rejoin the 2015 Paris climate agreement as one of his first acts as president.
“The Leaders Summit on Climate will underscore the urgency — and the economic benefits — of stronger climate action,” The White House said in a statement when Biden sent out invitations to the summit.
“In his invitation, the President urged leaders to use the Summit as an opportunity to outline how their countries also will contribute to stronger climate ambition.”
This article appeared originally on The Western Journal.
