CNN's chief climate correspondent Bill Weir said this week's COP26 climate summit was once again failing to produce longterm solutions to meaningfully address global climate change.
"America showed up, [but] ... if showing up actually worked, we wouldn't need 26 of these," he said, referring to the 26th iteration of the event, which was held in Glasgow, Scotland this year.
"To use Greta Thunberg's metaphor ... our global house is on fire, America showed up and plenty of other world leaders joined them in throwing a couple of buckets of water on the fire, and it's better than nothing, but it's a far shot from putting it out," Weir said.
Weir said several questions reporters asked President Biden at the conclusion of his news conference today about economic worries back home hinted at dim prospects for near term global cooperation on climate change.
"I was just struck by the questions about inflation, about ... the cost of your Thanksgiving meal or your toys that were made in China for Christmas," said Weir.
"All of the leaders here are dealing with those pressures in the moment at the same time," he continued. "Unfortunately those concerns of today are eating ... the livable futures of tomorrow."