Late night hosts recap, queensplain the COP26 climate summit's modest accomplishments
"It is Election Day in many places across the country, including here in New York," where voters will get to replace Mayor Bill de Blasio "with their favorite option: anyone else," Stephen Colbert said on Tuesday's Late Show. "It's also Dia de los Muertos, or Day of the Dead, but if climate change continues at its current pace, soon it will just be called Day."
"World leaders are talking about maybe doing something about it at the U.N. climate conference in Glasgow," and yesterday, more than 100 of them "pledged to halt deforestation by 2030," Colbert said. "Of course to do that, they'll need a detailed plan — that they'll need to print out on thousands upon thousands of pieces of paper." The world leaders also "got a video pep talk from young climate activist Queen Elizabeth," he added, queensplaining her speech.

The Late Show also just went ahead and put words in the queen's mouth.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
"The queen of England addressed the summit, she had a video message asking leaders to act for our children and our children's children — all of which she's probably going to outlive. What is that woman, 1,000 years old now?" Jimmy Kimmel said on Kimmel Live. Meanwhile, "more than 100 world leaders agreed to end deforestation before the year 2030 — basically they made a deal to save the Amazon from Amazon at this conference."

Biden also announced in Scotland that more than 70 nations had agreed to join the U.S. in slashing methane emissions by 30 percent this decade, "but not Russia or China, right?" Late Night's Seth Meyers asked. "That's like saying, 'Hey, great news, I got the whole neighborhood to agree to stop murdering except for Hacksaw Dave and Larry the Strangler.'"
"Biden reiterated his commitment to cut carbon emissions in half by 2030, and he can do it," Jimmy Fallon said on The Tonight Show. "I mean, he cut his approval rating in half in three months. Biden ended his big speech by saying 'God bless you all and may God save the planet.' And God was like, 'Uh, this is definitely a you-broke-it-you-bought-it situation.'"
"It wasn't just world leaders at the summit — Leonardo DiCaprio was also there," Fallon said. "Apparently he heard Earth was getting hotter and needed to meet her. Actually, DiCaprio does a lot to fight global warming. It all started with that iceberg."
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Peter has worked as a news and culture writer and editor at The Week since the site's launch in 2008. He covers politics, world affairs, religion and cultural currents. His journalism career began as a copy editor at a financial newswire and has included editorial positions at The New York Times Magazine, Facts on File, and Oregon State University.
-
The Week Unwrapped: Why are sinkholes becoming more common?
Podcast Plus, will Saudi investment help create the "Netflix of sport"? And why has New Zealand's new tourism campaign met with a savage reception?
By The Week UK Published
-
How Poland became Europe's military power
The Explainer Warsaw has made its armed forces a priority as it looks to protect its borders and stay close to the US
By Elizabeth Carr-Ellis, The Week UK Published
-
Quiz of The Week: 15 - 21 February
Have you been paying attention to The Week's news?
By The Week Staff Published
-
Russia frees US teacher Marc Fogel in murky 'exchange'
Speed Read He was detained in Moscow for carrying medically prescribed marijuana
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Published
-
Hamas pauses Gaza hostage release, upending ceasefire
Speed Read Hamas postponed the next scheduled hostage release 'until further notice,' accusing Israel of breaking the terms of their ceasefire deal
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Baltic States unplug from Russian grid, join EU's
Speed Read Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania are disconnecting from the Soviet-era electricity grid to join the EU's network
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
At least 11 killed in Sweden adult ed school shooting
Speed Read The worst mass shooting in Swedish history took place in Orebro
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Published
-
Who is the Hat Man? 'Shadow people' and sleep paralysis
In Depth 'Sleep demons' have plagued our dreams throughout the centuries, but the explanation could be medical
By The Week Staff Published
-
Same-sex marriage becomes legal in Thailand
Speed Read The law grants same-sex spouses the same rights as married heterosexual couples
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Top Israeli general to resign over Oct. 7 failures
Speed Read Herzi Halevi took responsibility for his failure to prevent the attacks that sparked Israel's war in Gaza
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Published
-
80 dead in Colombia amid uptick in guerrilla fighting
Speed Read This was the country's deadliest wave of violence since the peace accords set by President Gustavo Petro in 2016
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published