Former US Secretaries of State weigh in

CNN.com - Transcripts

AMANPOUR: The other big thing that we were talking about, in terms of advice to a new president, is climate change. Can we first know whether there's a consensus amongst all of you that climate change has a lot to do with mankind, that man is contributing to the global warming? We all agree?

ALBRIGHT: Except in Alaska.

(LAUGHTER)

(APPLAUSE)

AMANPOUR: Now, now.

(UNKNOWN): You broke the rules. You broke the...

BAKER: That's a breaking of the rules.

(UNKNOWN): You broke the rules.

BAKER: This is a nonpolitical gathering here.

ALBRIGHT: (OFF-MIKE)

SESNO: It was just coincidental, right? I see. Uh-huh.

AMANPOUR: So it's a gathering of like minds on the origin of climate change and perhaps on what we need to do about it. What does the United States need to do to take the lead on something that is so vital globally?

BAKER: Kill all the cows, because most of it comes from cow farts.

(LAUGHTER)

AMANPOUR: We're leaving that in.

BAKER: I know that.

(CROSSTALK)

SESNO: How very diplomatic of you.

(LAUGHTER)

AMANPOUR: Cows against Baker.

BAKER: Cows, that's right.

AMANPOUR: Seriously.

BAKER: Well, I've said it earlier, Christiane. I think the United States needs to lead an effort, global effort -- it's a global problem -- to round up all the countries that have to be -- major countries that put carbon dioxide in the air, that have to be a party to any treaty.

And you're not going to get it done if the president of the United States doesn't lead the charge.

So it's one of the major, I think, responsibilities of the new president to do something about that, but do it in a way that doesn't destroy our economy and that is not -- and that is not detrimental to the United States in the way that the Kyoto treaty was, where you exclude some of the biggest polluters.