John Kerry has been replaced as Joe Biden’s top climate diplomat.
The onetime presidential candidate and former U.S. Secretary of State announced his decision on the X platform, adding that Hillary Clinton’s former campaign manager John Podesta would replace him in the role.
“We’ve made historic progress these last three years and I know that, in his new role as [President] Biden’s Senior Advisor for International Climate Policy, John Podesta will continue to grow the momentum from Glasgow, Sharm el-Sheikh, and Dubai,” Kerry wrote.
“John Podesta has been a longtime climate ally and advocate,” he continued. “He knows the issue and he’s worked with NGOs and Administrations over a long period of time.”
We’ve made historic progress these last three years and I know that, in his new role as @POTUS Biden’s Senior Advisor for International Climate Policy, John Podesta will continue to grow the momentum from Glasgow, Sharm el-Sheikh, and Dubai.https://t.co/TCPRSlmgQK
— Special Presidential Envoy John Kerry (@ClimateEnvoy) January 31, 2024
Kerry, who frequently travels on private jets around the world to lecture developing countries on the dangers of climate change, cited Podesta’s knowledge and experience of climate-related issues as justification for giving him the role.
“I had the pleasure of working with him during the Obama Administration, where he was a critical partner in our China climate engagement, and during the Biden Administration, where he has been engaged in the critical responsibility of implementing the Inflation Reduction Act,” Kerry explained.
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“He has also conducted track-two dialogues as a private citizen, which has given him a strong foundation in the global challenges of the climate crisis. He will bring important expertise to the work ahead, particularly in respect to the down-to-earth challenges of implementing COP28.”
John Podesta has been a longtime climate ally and advocate. He knows the issue and he’s worked with NGOs and Administrations over a long period of time. I had the pleasure of working with him during the Obama Administration, where he was a critical partner in our China climate…
— Special Presidential Envoy John Kerry (@ClimateEnvoy) January 31, 2024
Kerry was appointed as U.S. special presidential envoy for climate in January 2021, a position that was created by Biden to show his administration’s commitment to fighting so-called global warming.
Jet-setting climate con man, John Kerry, speaking at the WEF’s annual meeting in Davos: “If you wound up with a different president who was opposed to the climate crisis, I got news for you: No one politician anywhere in the world can undo what is happening now.”
“The only issue… pic.twitter.com/tWadtBnmq0
— Wide Awake Media (@wideawake_media) January 31, 2024
In a statement, the White House Chief of Staff Jeff Zients praised Kerry’s dedication, although failed to mention any concrete or tangible achievements during his tenure.
“In three years, Secretary Kerry has tirelessly trekked around the world — bringing American climate leadership back from the brink and marshalling countries around the world to take historic action to confront the climate crisis,” Zients said, according to Fox News.
“We need to keep meeting the gravity of this moment, and there is no one better than John Podesta to make sure we do. John has — and will continue to be — at the helm of driving the implementation of the most significant climate law in history.”
