Benji Becker, founder of Nature is Nonpartisan and the American Conservative Coalition, joins "CBS News Mornings" to discuss how President Donald Trump's comments on climate change and renewable energy during his United Nations General Assembly address could impact the environment.

New York

During an address to the United Nations, President Trump referred to climate change as 'the greatest con job ever perpetrated on the world' and criticized renewable energy initiatives, labeling them a 'green energy scam.' He also claimed that predictions about global warming and cooling made by the United Nations and others were incorrect and suggested that renewable energy is too expensive and ineffective.

Benji Backer, CEO of Nature Is Nonpartisan, responded by emphasizing that climate change has become a partisan issue in the United States, making it difficult to achieve progress. Backer argued that a balanced energy mix—including renewables, nuclear, oil, and gas—is necessary, and stressed the importance of moving the climate conversation beyond political divisions to ensure effective solutions.

Trump calls climate change 'con job' in UN address

Welcome back, President Trump slammed climate change during his address to the United Nations, criticizing nations for falling for what he called a quote, green energy scam. Just take a quick listen to what he had to say. It's the greatest con job ever perpetrated on the world. No more global warming, no more global cooling, all of these predictions made by the United Nations and many others, often for bad reasons, were wrong. Benji Backer returns to the show. He's the CEO and founder of Nature Is Nonpartisan. Benji, welcome back. It's been about a year since we first had you on. Good to have you here. It's great to be here. What do you make of what the president said in 2025, that climate change is a con job? Well, it's wrong that it's a con job, but what this is emulating is that this issue has been caught up in the culture war and it's now a partisan issue, right? In the 1990s, 92% of Americans self-identified as environmentalists. Today, that number is 38%. And the reason that is, is because people associate climate change and the environment with partisan identity. And it's not just a Donald Trump problem, it's an America problem. We have to get climate change and the environment out of the culture wars if we're going to solve the subject. Clean air, clean water, healthy forests, a healthy climate, that doesn't care about our political identity. And so I lean right, but I don't really care about political labels anymore when it comes to the environment. We have to be able to work across party lines and figure out how to get conservatives back in the conversation to make this bipartisan again. So let's just fact check some of the basic information. The president calls renewable energy a joke. He says it doesn't work, it's too expensive. He also says energy costs are coming down for Americans. Energy costs for Americans are up, but what about renewable energy? Well, renewable energy needs to be a part of the energy mix. I think where the left has got it wrong is that they've said renewable energy is the answer to everything and that we're going to be 100 percent renewable by 2030. And where the right's got it wrong is by saying that we don't need renewables at all. We need nuclear, we need oil and gas still, and we also need renewables. We need all of these things to power the grid if we're actually going to have cheap energy prices in this country and not have rolling blackouts. But the problem is we have the Democratic Party, you know, for years saying that we just need one thing and the Republican Party saying that we just need the other. And we also partisanized energy somehow. People just want to keep the lights on in their homes. They want to be able to power the gas stoves or the electric stoves in their house, right? They just want to be able to have the power that they need to survive. And both parties have actually waged a war on energy against each other, but it's actually just been against the American people because they're not trying to focus on how to lower energy prices. They're trying to make a political point. And, you know, the president and this administration needs to understand the importance of renewables, not to say that renewables are the only answer, but they're part of the energy mix. I live in Arizona and we use a lot of solar and solar works really well during the day. But at night we need nuclear and natural gas, but we need it all if we're going to power America. Really, really important points that you've made. And before we let you go, I know that you were good friends with Charlie Kirk. I know you'd mentioned you had drifted apart in recent years, but I just want to give you a moment to reflect and let us know how you've been dealing with his loss these last few weeks. Well, I think it's been a mix of emotions for me because I've never seen someone I've known so well get killed, right? That's a really hard thing to have seen. I think it also really, my work at Nature is nonpartisan to try to bring Americans together for an environmental movement that represents Americans and helps us understand each other, but also fight for each other's environment feels more important than ever before because political violence and polarization is on the rise. And as someone who travels around the country to meet with young Americans, we need a future where we actually work together on something. And what better issue than the environment? So given this really violent, difficult time in American history, can we come together around this has been sort of a reflection point I've had and given me more motivation despite this really hard moment where it's really hard to even figure out how to, you know, emotionally, you know, control the response to this. But the future of America cannot be going down this path of political violence and, you know, seeing someone die, no matter how much I disagreed with him or not, is the wrong direction for this country. And we have to figure out a way to bridge the divide and find a way forward as Americans. The environment is the one thing that we all share more than anything. And I think that if we can use this really dark moment to build a better future for the country, we'll all be better off. Well, you know, our condolences on the loss of your friend, but you've been consistent in saying in order to get things done, folks need to work together. Benji Backer, come back anytime. Great to see you.

After a six-day suspension, late-night host Jimmy Kimmel broke down in tears during his return to TV with a monologue focused on the importance of the maintaining the right to free speech while still poking fun at the Trump administration.

Los Angeles

Jimmy Kimmel makes emotional return with monologue about free speech

Mainland China is bracing for Super Typhoon Ragasa, after the powerful storm caused widespread destruction across the region. In Taiwan, at least 14 people have died in flooding triggered by the cyclone.

Kowloon

Typhoon Ragasa sweeping towards China, 14 killed in Taiwan

After meeting for about an hour with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, President Trump said he believes Ukraine can win back all of its territory from Russia "in its original form."

In major shift, Trump says Ukraine can win back territory lost in war

A jury has convicted Ryan Routh of attempting to assassinate U.S. President Donald Trump on his Florida golf course last year. He was found guilty of all five charges, which included attempted assassination of a major presidential candidate and assaulting a federal officer.

West Palm Beach

Ryan Routh found guilty of trying to assassinate Trump

U.S. President Donald Trump on Tuesday (September 23) spoke with reporters while meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy at the United Nations General Assembly in New York City.

Trump takes questions during meeting with Zelenskyy

Chipmaker Nvidia said it would invest up to $100 billion in OpenAI, the developer of ChatGPT, as part of a strategic partnership. CBS MoneyWatch correspondent Kelly O'Grady has more details.

Santa Clara

Rise of AI

Nvidia to invest up to $100 billion in OpenAI

For the first time in more than half a century, astronauts will soon be heading back to the moon. CBC's Nicole Mortillaro breaks down the preparations for the mission, Artemis II, which will send astronauts on a historic loop around the moon.

Houston

NASA prepares to send astronauts around the moon

U.S. President Donald Trump addressed the United Nations General Assembly in New York City, where he pushed back on countries that have formally recognized a Palestinian state. Trump also touted U.S. immigration policy.

Trump delivers address at U.N. General Assembly

Southern China and Hong Kong are bracing for Super Typhoon Ragasa as authorities evacuate hundreds of thousands of people. CBS News' Anna Coren has more details.

Hong Kong Island

Super Typhoon Ragasa targets Southern China, Hong Kong

Russian President Vladimir Putin offered to voluntarily maintain the limits on deployed strategic nuclear weapons set in the 2010 New START accord after it expires in February if the U.S. agreed to do the same.

Moscow

Putin offers Trump one-year extension to nuclear weapons treaty

President Trump announced Monday the FDA believes pregnant women should not take acetaminophen, the active ingredient in Tylenol, claiming there could be a link between the medication and autism, despite objections from medical experts.

Washington

Trump, FDA tell pregnant women not to take Tylenol

ABC announced Monday that "Jimmy Kimmel Live!" will return to the air Tuesday night (September 23). The network pulled the show last week following a remark from Kimmel about the death of Charlie Kirk.

Jimmy Kimmel returning to air

As leaders from around the globe come together at the United Nations General Assembly in New York this week, conflicts in Gaza and Ukraine continue to rage.

World leaders come together at UNGA as global tensions rise

Monday marks the second day of strike action after a similar walk-off was called on Sunday by the southern European country's largest trade union, the Italian Confederation of Labour (CGIL).

Rome

Middle East Conflict

Thousands strike across Italy in solidarity with Palestinians in Gaza

The Trump administration is adding $100,000 to the existing fee for H-1B visa applications, taking aim at a program that is used to attract highly skilled workers to the U.S.

Trump administration to add $100,000 fee for H-1B visas

President Donald Trump urged Attorney General Pam Bondi in a social media post to move forward with cases against several people connected to the U.S. government. CBS News justice correspondent Scott MacFarlane has more.

Trump urges Pam Bondi to go after his political foes

Russia is denying that its planes entered Estonian airspace on Saturday, according to Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov, but Estonia's foreign minister is saying the government has "irrefutable evidence" of the incursion.

Ukraine Invasion

Russia denies violating Estonian airspace

U.S. President Donald Trump was the final speaker at a politically charged memorial service for conservative activist and MAGA influencer Charlie Kirk that also included words of forgiveness from Kirk’s widow as well as remarks from the vice-president and one of Trump’s sons.

Glendale

Trump closes out Charlie Kirk memorial

Media mogul Lachlan Murdoch and business leaders Larry Ellison and Michael Dell would be involved as U.S. investors in a proposed deal to keep TikTok operating in the United States, according to President Donald Trump speaking to Fox News channel.

Trump says Murdochs would be involved in TikTok deal

Portugal, the UK, Australia and Canada joined over 150 countries that now recognise a Palestinian state. The announcements come ahead of the United Nations General Assembly in the week ahead.

Lisbon

Portugal formally recognises Palestinian state

Police say a 23-year-old was arrested and charged Sunday night with second-degree murder after one person was killed and several others were injured in a shooting at a New Hampshire country club. Witnesses say the shooter said “free Palestine” and before opening fire.

Nashua

Suspect yelled 'free Palestine' before country club shooting

President Trump is demanding that the Justice Department go after his political rivals following a shakeup in the U.S. Attorney's Office in Eastern Virginia. Willie James Inman reports.

Trump pressuring Justice Department to pursue his political foes

President Trump, Vice President JD Vance and several others remembered Charlie Kirk at a memorial service in Arizona that was attended by thousands.

Phoenix

Trump, others remember Charlie Kirk at memorial service

The United Kingdom, Canada and Australia officially recognized Palestine as a state Sunday, a move that has long been opposed by the U.S. and Israel. More countries are expected to do the same this week as world leaders gather in New York for the U.N. General Assembly.

Tel Aviv-Yafo

Israel continuing assault on Gaza after countries recognize Palestinian statehood

A group of US Republicans has sent a letter to France, Canada, the UK and Australia, urging them to re-consider their decision to recognise a Palestinian state.  It's warning there may be consequences if the countries move ahead with plan at the upcoming UN General Assembly.

US Republicans warn allies over decision to recognise Palestinian state

Britain, Canada and Australia all recognized a Palestinian state on Sunday (September 21) in a move borne out of frustration over the Gaza war and intended to promote a two-state solution, but which is also bound to anger Israel and its main ally, the U.S.

Britain, Canada and Australia all recognize Palestinian state

The President of the Palestinian Authority, Mahmoud Abbas, will address the UN on Monday, after the General Assembly voted to allow him to join remotely. The U.S. has refused to issue him a visa to attend in person.

UN approves video address by Palestine’s Abbas after U.S. visa refusal

Sixty nations have agreed to a new treaty aimed at protecting marine biodiversity in international waters. But the strength of the deal governing the high seas is uncertain as some of the world’s biggest players - including China, the U.S., Russia and Japan - have yet to ratify.

Nations ratify world's first treaty to protect international waters

A cyberattack on a provider of check-in and boarding systems has disrupted operations at several major European airports including London's Heathrow, the continent's busiest, causing flight delays and cancellations on Saturday (September 20).

London

Travelers stranded as cyberattack disrupts major European airports

The high seas will soon have their own Conference of the Parties (COP). This new body will oversee the implementation of the Agreement on the Conservation and Sustainable Use of Marine Biological Diversity of Areas Beyond National Jurisdiction, which is scheduled to enter into force in early 2026 after the legally required 120-day period.

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