Climate Envoy Kerry Leaving Biden Administration
John Kerry, the US special envoy for climate since early 2021, will be stepping down before spring, according to several published reports....
Facts
- John Kerry, the US special envoy for climate since early 2021, will be stepping down before spring, according to several published reports.1
- Unnamed officials told the media Kerry announced his resignation to Democratic Pres. Joe Biden on Wednesday, and Kerry’s staff was informed Saturday.2
- The former secretary of state under Pres. Barack Obama and US Senator from Massachusetts is expected to help with Biden’s 2024 reelection campaign.3
- Kerry, who was one of the leading creators of the 2015 Paris climate accords, will be leaving a role that was specifically created for him to represent the US across the world in climate change matters.4
- More recently, Kerry during the COP28 climate summit in Dubai helped negotiate an agreement between countries to reduce consumption of fossil fuels. Kerry also worked closely with his Chinese counterpart, Xie Zhenhua, to get the two countries — the most significant global emitters of greenhouse gasses — to cooperate on a plan to triple renewable energy worldwide by 2030.5
Sources: 1New York Times, 2Al Jazeera, 3Business Insider, 4USA Today and 5BBC News.
Narratives
- Democratic narrative, as provided by NPR Online News. Kerry deserves kudos for all he accomplished in his role as climate envoy, with the COP28 agreement to get countries to begin 'transitioning away' from fossil fuels both the most recent and most historic achievement of his stint. His efforts to get the US and China to put aside other grievances and cooperate on climate change initiatives have put the world on the right path in the face of a warming world. Kerry will be missed.
- Republican narrative, as provided by FOX News. The only thing better than Kerry leaving this post will be if the post is completely obliterated and never filled again. Kerry traveled the world promoting anti-energy policies that harmed the US economy. The envoy position was also created without a mechanism for oversight, so Kerry wasn't required to be transparent about his work and its impact. His departure is welcome news for American consumers and businesses.
