COP 28, has come to a close with nearly# 200 na that they should transition away from burning# the fossil fuels that are warming the planet.

In addition to that promise, the nations# pledged to triple the amount of wind,## solar and other renewable energy deployed by# 2030 to stop deforestation by the same year## and to curb the release of methane, which# is one of the most potent greenhouse gases.

The reaction to the agreement has# been mixed.

While some hailed this## first ever mention of fossil fuels,# others, especially those who represent## small island nations threatened by sea# level rise, were much more critical.

Here's Anne Rasmussen from the nation of Samoa.

ANNE RASMUSSEN, Alliance of Small Island# States: We have come to that the course correction# that is secured.

We have made an incremental# advancement over busin when what we really needed is an exponential# step change in our actions and support.

WILLIAM BRANGHAM: Joining me now# is Manish Bapna.

He is president## and CEO of the Natural Resources Defense Council.

Manish, welcome back to the "NewsHour."

A lot of concern going into this COP.# We have just lived throu the hottest year in recorded human# history.

And people were arguing,## why are you holding a climate summit in a nation# that is known for pumping out oil and gas?

But, still, some historic first, as I mentioned.# What do you make of this whole agreement?

MANISH BAPNA, President and CEO, Natural# Resources Defense Council: I mean, I think## both of these poin There was -- for the first time 19 5 countries, to explicitly call for the# transition away, out of fossil fuels.

That is a## significant signal to policymakers, to investors,# to CEOs about what the future actually looks like.

But equally true, the science is clear, the# math is unforgiving, and we need to see a## lot more speed, a lot more scale.

The concern# that the Samoan delegate mentioned is real.

WILLIAM BRANGHAM: I mean, I hear what you're# saying about fossil fuels, but it is remarkable## that, 30 years into these summits, we're# finally now getting around to mentioning this.

I mean, it's like having back in the# '60s conferences about lung cancer and## taking 30 years to talk about weaning ourself off# cigarettes.

I mean, it's progress, but baby steps.

MANISH BAPNA: You're right.

But the worldwide.

This is a significant industry# that has a vested interest in status quo.## And to get all 195 countries to sign a# piece of paper, a statement of purpose,## that it is time now to transition away from# fossils is not a small, insignificant step.

But what we need to do is actually# translate that ambition into action.

WILLIAM BRANGHAM: One of the other big# pledges was this ramp-up of renewables.

And, as you well know, there is a Green# Revolution that is under way.

Do you think## we will be able to deploy wind and solar# and geothermal and hydrogen and battery## storage in the full force needed to keep# us from dangerously warming this planet?

MANISH BAPNA: That is in my mind what# is kind of most encouraging about this## conference and about where we are today,# is, we're beginning to see the early signs## of a better future, a more inclusive, a# more productive, a more resilient future.

Look at just what's happened in the United States# in the last 18 months after the passage of the## Inflation Reduction Act.

We have seen over $100# billion of announcements of investments in solar,## in wind, in electric vehicles.

We have# seen over 100,000 new jobs created.

We're beginning to see shovels on# the ground.

We're starting to see## the proof points of real things being# built, a better future.

And I think## that shift is going to happen in a more# quicker pace than many of us realize.

WILLIAM BRANGHAM: One of the other# big developments was around this issue## known as loss and damage, which is a fund# being established to help the world deal with the real-world impacts# they're having from climate change today.

Do you think that the developed# world is really finally starting## to reckon with the damage that our# pollution is doing to those nations?

MANISH BAPNA: It's starting to.

This is symbolically a big deal the most vulnerable countries that contributed the# least to the climate crisis cope with the impacts.

But what we need to see is a lot more money go# into that fund and a lot more money more generally## go from the rich world to the developing# world to help with the energy transition,## to build resilience.

This is not an act# of charity.

This is an act of justice.

WILLIAM BRANGHAM: One of the knocks on these COP# summits is that there is no enforcement mechanism,## that a nation can say, I pledge to# cut emissions by X gigatons by Y date,## and if they fail to do that there's no way# of saying -- of holding them to account.

Do you think we put too much# emphasis on these global summits?

MANISH BAPNA: I think we have to be clear-eyed## about what the summi It is a statement of purpose.# It is a vision for the future,## but it is up to us then to be able to translate# that and hold governments accountable.

So, now just take the United States, signed up# to a language about transitioning away from## fossil fuels.

Yet the largest oil and gas# producer in the world is the United States.

And if you look at the next 10 years,# the greatest increase we will see is## in the United States.

So how do we# actually reconcile that?

How do we## use that commitment internationally to# push for greater ambition domestically## to transition from fossils to clean?# That's the work that we need to do.

WILLIAM BRANGHAM: Manish Bapna, president and# CEO of the NRDC, great to see you.

Thank you.

MANISH BAPNA: Thank you.

Thank you very much.