U.S. Special Presidential Envoy for Climate
| Special Presidential Envoy for Climate of the United States | |
|---|---|
 | |
 | |
| Executive Office of the President | |
| Type | Special Presidential Envoy |
| Status | Not Confirmed |
| Member of | United States National Security Council (NSC) |
| Reports to | President of the United States |
| Appointer | President of the United States |
| Term length | The Pleasure of the President |
| Inaugural holder | John Kerry |
| Formation | January 20, 2021 |
| Website | Official website |
The United States special presidential envoy for climate is a position in the Executive Office of the President of the United States with authority over energy policy and climate policy within the executive branch. It is currently held by John Podesta.
History
On November 23, 2020, President-elect Joe Biden announced former U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry, would serve as the Special Presidential Envoy for Climate and would be a member of the United States National Security Council (NSC).[1][2]
The term "Climate Czar" has been used to informally describe Kerry's position. There had been one previous climate policy advisor in the White House, Carol Browner, who was director of the now-defunct White House Office of Energy and Climate Change Policy from 2009 to 2011.[3] In particular, the new position will be the first time that the NSC would have an official dedicated to climate change issues and to addressing the climate crisis as one affecting national security.[1]
On January 13, 2024, sources close to Kerry revealed that he would leave this position by the upcoming spring.[4][5]
On January 31, 2024, it was announced that John Podesta will succeed John Kerry as envoy.[6]
Foreign visits
- April 2021: Envoy John Kerry became the first senior official of the Biden administration to visit China.[7] Discussed issues included the recent decision by Japan to dump radioactive water of the Fukushima nuclear plant into the Pacific.[8]
- March 2023: London, Paris
- June 2023: Paris, Rome
- July 2023: China, during 2023 Asia heat wave that set a new record of 52.2 °C (126.0 °F) in Sanbu, Xinjiang, China, which Kerry mentioned in particular.[9][10]
List of envoys
| No. | Portrait | Officeholder | Term start | Term end | President | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 
|
John Kerry | January 20, 2021 | March 6, 2024 | Joe Biden | |
| 2 |
|
John Podesta | March 6, 2024 | Incumbent | ||
See also
References
- ^ a b "President-Elect Biden Announces Key Members of Foreign Policy and National Security Team" (Press release). November 23, 2020. Retrieved November 24, 2020.
Former Secretary of State John Kerry will fight climate change full-time as Special Presidential Envoy for Climate and will sit on the National Security Council. This marks the first time that the NSC would include an official dedicated to climate change, reflecting the president-elect's commitment to addressing climate change as an urgent national security issue.
- ^ Merica, Dan; Sullivan, Kate (December 15, 2020). "Biden to name Gina McCarthy to top domestic climate job". CNN. Retrieved December 17, 2020.
- ^ Sullivan, Kate (November 24, 2020). "Biden prioritizes climate crisis by naming John Kerry special envoy". CNN.
- ^ Kim, Seun Min (January 13, 2024). "John Kerry, the US climate envoy, to leave the Biden administration". Associated Press.
- ^ Joselow, Maxine; Pager, Tyler (January 13, 2024). "John Kerry to step down as top U.S. climate change negotiator". Washington Post. Retrieved January 13, 2024.
- ^ Joselow, Maxine (January 31, 2024). "John Podesta to succeed John Kerry as top U.S. climate diplomat". Washington Post. ISSN 0190-8286. Retrieved January 31, 2024.
- ^ "What's at Stake in U.S. Climate Envoy John Kerry's Trip to China". Time magazine. April 15, 2021.
- ^ "S.Korea, U.S. show differences over Japan's Fukushima plans". Reuters. April 18, 2021. Retrieved April 18, 2021.
- ^ Cheng, Evelyn (July 18, 2023). "Kerry upholds U.S.-China 'stability' in symbolic Beijing visit". CNBC. Archived from the original on July 18, 2023. Retrieved July 18, 2023.
- ^ Graham-Harrison, Emma (July 17, 2023). "US climate envoy meets Chinese counterpart on hottest ever day in China". The Guardian. Retrieved August 4, 2023.