John Kerry, the U.S. special envoy on climate, is stepping down from the Biden administration in the coming weeks, according to two people familiar with his plans. Kerry, a longtime senator and secretary of state, was tapped shortly after Joe Biden’s November 2020 election to take on the new role created specifically to fight climate change on behalf of the administration on the global stage.
Quick Read
- Resignation Announcement: John Kerry, the U.S. Special Envoy for Climate, is set to step down from his position in the Biden administration in the coming weeks.
- Background: Kerry, a former senator and Secretary of State, was appointed to this role shortly after President Joe Biden’s election in November 2020. His role was specifically created to address climate change on a global scale.
- Report of Departure: Kerry’s plans to leave the administration were first reported by Axios on Saturday.
- Experience and Contributions: Kerry was instrumental in drafting the 2015 Paris climate accords. His extensive experience includes his time as Secretary of State under the Obama administration and nearly three decades on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.
- Biden’s Climate Commitment: His appointment was part of Biden’s campaign promise to aggressively tackle climate change, marking a more forceful approach than previous administrations.
- Global Engagement: Kerry has been active in international climate diplomacy, including meetings with global leaders like Vice President Han Zheng of China.
- Political Career: He represented Massachusetts in the U.S. Senate for 28 years and was the Democratic presidential nominee in 2004.
- Praise from Al Gore: Former Vice President Al Gore, known for his climate activism, commended Kerry for his “heroic” work and “bold vision” in addressing the climate crisis, emphasizing the global impact of his efforts.
The Associated Press has the story:
John Kerry, the US climate envoy, to leave the Biden administration
Newslooks- WASHINGTON (AP) —
John Kerry, the U.S. special envoy on climate, is stepping down from the Biden administration in the coming weeks, according to two people familiar with his plans.
Kerry, a longtime senator and secretary of state, was tapped shortly after Joe Biden’s November 2020 election to take on the new role created specifically to fight climate change on behalf of the administration on the global stage.
Kerry’s departure plans were first reported Saturday by Axios.
Kerry was one of the leading drafters of the 2015 Paris climate accords and came into the role with significant experience abroad, as secretary of state during the Obama administration and from nearly three decades as a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. Biden’s decision to tap Kerry for the post was seen as one way the incoming president was making good on his campaign pledge to battle climate change in a more forceful and visible manner than in previous administrations.
“The climate crisis is a universal threat to humankind and we all have a responsibility to deal with it as rapidly as we can,” Kerry said in a visit to Beijing last summer, when he met with Vice President Han Zheng on climate matters.
Kerry represented Massachusetts for 28 years in the Senate and was also the Democratic presidential nominee in 2004.
“John Kerry’s tireless work to deliver global progress on the climate crisis has been heroic,” former Vice President Al Gore, who has focused primarily on climate in his post-public office life, said in a statement Saturday. “He has approached this challenge with bold vision, resolute determination, and the urgency that this crisis demands. For that the U.S. and the whole world owe him a huge debt of gratitude.”
