COP26: US President Joe Biden appears to fall asleep during speeches at climate summit

It was seemingly a long day at the climate summit in Glasgow with Joe Biden just one of several world leaders to get an attack of the tireds.

Joe Biden appeared to fall asleep during the opening speeches of the COP26 climate summit before he was seemingly woken up by one of his staffers.

The US president was caught on camera folding his arms and gradually dozing off as the conference kicked off on Monday in Glasgow, according to pictures from The Washington Post.

He wasn’t the only one, with cameras also snapping British Prime Minister – and event host – Boris Johnson nodding off.

Mr Biden’s eyes closed for a few seconds before he woke himself. However, seconds later they shut again for a second time.

US President Joe Biden appears to fall asleep during COP26 summit. Picture: Twitter

After about 30 seconds an adviser rushed over which seemed to awaken Mr Biden from his slumber. Picture: Twitter

This time, the man former US President Donald Trump called “Sleepy Joe” closed his eyes for 30 seconds before a man in a suit came over to stir him awake.

The president then uncrossed his arms and listened to what the staff member was telling him, before applauding the opening speaker, reported the US Sun.

US President Joe Biden greets Britain's Prince William as they arrive to attend an evening reception to mark the opening day of the COP26 summit in Glasgow. Picture: Alberto Pezzali – Pool/Getty Images

Boris Johnson also appears to nod off

UK PM Mr Johnson also appeared to have an attack of the tireds.

He was photographed with his eyes closed as he sat between United Nations Secretary General Antonio Guterres and TV presenter and naturalist Sir David Attenborough.

A Downing Street source said it was “total nonsense” to suggest Mr Johnson had been asleep, newspaperThe Mirror reported.

Undoubtedly Mr Johnson was having a busy time. He had individually elbow bumped hundreds of world leaders who were attending the Glasgow conference, opened the summit and sat through scores of speeches from monarchs, PMs and presidents.

Scott Morrison also addressed the audience spruiking Australia’s net zero emissions plan.

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson, sitting between UN Secretary-General Antonia Guterres and Sir David Attenborough, appears to take five. (Photo by Jeff J Mitchell/Getty Images)

Boris Johnson speaks was a lot perkier earlier when he opened the UN Climate Change Conference COP26 in Glasgow, United Kingdom. Picture: Yves Herman – WPA Pool/Getty Images

And he was all smiles at a later reception. Picture: Alberto Pezzali – Pool/Getty Images

Biden’s huge plan to cut US emissions

Prince Charles also helped open the event while Mr Biden was one of the most anticipated speakers.

He took the chance on the podium to restate the US’ climate commitments.

Mr Biden headed to the UN climate conference backed by a new legislative framework that, if enacted, would be the largest action ever taken by the US to address climate change.

The $US555 billion ($A738 billion) plan for climate spending is the centrepiece of a sweeping domestic policy package Mr Biden and Democrats presented on Thursday, hours before the president travelled to Europe for the G20 meeting of world leaders followed by the COP26 summit in Glasgow, Scotland.

Mr Biden called the plan “the most significant investment to deal with the climate crisis that ever happened, beyond any other advanced nation in the world.”

While far from certain to pass in a closely divided Congress, the new framework reassured nervous Democrats and environmental leaders that a president who has made climate action a key focus of his administration did not arrive in Glasgow empty-handed.

The plan did not give Biden everything he wanted, but supporters still believe that, if enacted, it would set the US on a path to meet Biden’s goal to cut carbon pollution in half by 2030.

“It’s a real signal to the world that the US. is back and demonstrating leadership on climate change,″ said Tiernan Sittenfeld, senior vice president of the League of Conservation Voters.

The plan includes more than $US300 billion ($A400 billion) in tax incentives for renewable energy such as wind and solar power, as well as investments to boost nuclear power, sharply increase the number of electric vehicles and spur production of batteries and other advanced materials.

The climate target is a key requirement of the 2015 Paris climate agreement, which Mr Biden rejoined on his first day in office. It’s also an important marker as Biden moves toward his ultimate goal of net-zero carbon emissions by 2050.

Part of this story is reproduced with permission from the US Sun.

Originally published as COP26: US President Joe Biden appears to fall asleep during speeches at climate summit