Minute by minute: world leaders gather for COP26 climate talks in Glasgow

President Joe Biden will offer a “personal commitment” to combat climate change during speeches at the COP26 summit in Glasgow on Monday.

In a speech at the conference, Biden “will talk about what the United States is prepared to do to meet its obligation, including the investments that we are making, the goals that we intend to achieve, both with respect to 2030 and 2050,” said his national security adviser to reporters aboard Air Force One as Biden flew from Rome to Scotland.

Biden is expected to speak later this Monday morning. In his speech, Biden “will also talk about the progress we’ve made this year and the momentum we’ve built, and then he’ll talk about the work that needs to be done,” said Jake Sullivan.

It will also convey your belief that it is a false premise to choose between progress on the climate and financial performance.

“The right kind of strategy can and will deliver both,” Sullivan said, citing Biden’s pending legislative agenda that contains $ 555 billion in climate provisions.

His speech will seek to influence other nations to take their own bold steps toward fighting climate change.

“The speech will be a wake-up call, it will be a very forceful declaration of his personal commitment, of our country’s commitment, not only to do our part but to help lead the world in mobilizing and catalyzing the action necessary to achieve our goals. goals, “Sullivan said.

Sullivan, who seeks to address somewhat daunted expectations for the Glasgow summit by foreign leaders and others, insisted the mood remained optimistic. He said it was necessary to set a high goal to achieve results.

“Every time you go to a summit where you are trying to reach a very high ambition, there is a certain motivation around ‘we have done some things, but we have not done enough’ as ​​a kind of mentality. That is not bad, because I think we want everyone to feel the pressure to step up and do more, “he said.

He said Biden was eager to discuss his top spending bills with other world leaders, despite uncertainty about when they will pass in Congress.

“What we have discovered over the course of this weekend is that world leaders are a sophisticated bunch. They understand well that the legislative process takes time. Legislative texts must be finalized, votes must be cast, but there is a significant expectation of that this can and will happen, and it can and will happen in the short term, “added Sullivan.