Kerry’s First Task on Climate Is to Reestablish U.S. Credibility
The diplomat and architect of the Paris accord will have to overcome deep skepticism about America’s commitment to climate goals.
John Kerry speaks at a campaign stop to support Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden in Fort Dodge, Iowa, on Jan. 9, 2020.
Photographer: Andrew Harnik/AP
To show the world that the U.S. will be an environmental leader once again, President-elect Joe Biden is turning to the driving force behind the climate agreement that President Donald Trump has spent four years undermining.
John Kerry, who was secretary of state under President Barack Obama and helped craft the 2016 Paris climate accord, will assume a newly created role in the Biden administration: special presidential envoy on climate change. Kerry’s appointment marks the first time an official dedicated to climate change will have a seat on the National Security Council, putting the environment, in principle, at the center of every foreign policy decision. The new role could prove challenging to navigate politically because its powers are so far vague, and Kerry will have to coordinate with multiple agencies across the administration.