President-elect Joe Biden has appointed John Kerry to the newly created post of climate tsar, an initiative that underscores the new administration’s commitment to an international approach to the issue and the recognition of its strategic importance.
Kerry, former Secretary of State, is a diplomatic heavyweight who helped rebuild the landmark Paris climate agreement under the Obama administration and pushed hard
“I have asked you to return to government to put the United States back on track to address one of the most pressing national security threats we face: the climate crisis,” Biden said in a statement. published Monday. “This role is the first of its kind – the first climate position at cabinet level and the first time that climate change has had a seat at the National Security Council table.”
Kerry’s appointment as ‘special presidential climate envoy’ is among first six cabinet-level appointments Biden’s team announced on Monday, as he works to form a government despite the president’s refusal Donald Trump to do so. accept the election results. Unlike some cabinet functions, it will not require confirmation from the Senate, the New York Times reported.
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Monday’s decision, along with Biden’s ambitious climate proposals during the campaign, indicate a renewed commitment by the United States to tackle climate change and a radical shift in President Trump’s policies. His administration withdrew from the Paris agreement, worked to undo environmental protections, and continually strained the country’s international alliances.
Varun Sivaram, Principal Investigator at Columbia University Center for Global Energy Policy, said on twitter that this appointment demonstrates Biden’s intention to place climate change at the center of national security and foreign policy. He added that he is signaling both allies and enemies of the United States that the new administration recognizes the threats of climate change and is committed to dealing with them through international cooperation.