Biden's presence at the high-stakes COP26 summit, aimed at tackling the warming planet, comes as he's been unable to get his climate agenda approved at home, with Democrats in Congress still divided over his $1.75 trillion spending package.
On the first day of the summit, Biden touted his "Build Back Better" proposal as "the most significant investment to deal with the climate crisis that any advanced nation has made, ever." But until it passes, Biden must rely largely on executive authority for his biggest climate splashes.
"I can’t think of any two days where more has been accomplished dealing with climate than these two days,” Biden said, touting his trip as a success despite the uncertainty of his domestic agenda and the absence of leaders from China and Russia who did not attend.
He argued the decisions by Xi Jinping of China and Vladimir Putin of Russia to sit out the conference undermined their standing in the world.
"We showed up," Biden, "and by showing up we've had a profound impact on the way I think the rest of the world is looking at the United States."
The COP26 runs until Nov. 12. Biden returns to Washington later Tuesday. Biden arrived seeking to reassert U.S. leadership on climate after former President Donald Trump pulled out of the 2015 Paris agreement on climate, which Biden reentered after taking office.
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