Yes, and then no. > But is used to connect ideas that contrast. https://dictionary.cambridge.org/grammar/british-grammar/but https://dictionary.cambridge.org/g

Yes, and then no. > But is used to connect ideas that contrast. https://dictionary.cambridge.org/grammar/british-grammar/but https://dictionary.cambridge.org/grammar/british-grammar/but The way it's phrased puts "sees itself as a force of good" in contrast with "is bad". "Is bad" doesn't make sense to be in contrast with "sees itself as...". It's more likely that it's "good [through influence/military]" in contrast with "bad [in CO2]". Alternatively, perhaps it was meant as "(sees itself as) bad [in CO2]" but that's not much of an argument about anything.