Paris deal negotiator John Kerry named climate envoy in Biden administration

Former US Secretary of State John Kerry has been named climate envoy in the administration of incoming President Joe Biden. Kerry brokered and signed the Paris Agreement on climate change on behalf of the US in 2015. © REUTERS/Carlos Barria

Kerry’s nomination is a sign the incoming administration in Washington intends to renew US commitment to fighting climate change.

“The work we began with the Paris Agreement is far from done,” Kerry tweeted after the announcement of the role.

The work we began with the Paris Agreement is far from done. I'm returning to government to get America back on track to address the biggest challenge of this generation and those that will follow. The climate crisis demands nothing less than all hands on deck. pic.twitter.com/xxfakodQ6d

— John Kerry (@JohnKerry) November 23, 2020

“I'm returning to government to get America back on track to address the biggest challenge of this generation and those that will follow. The climate crisis demands nothing less than all hands on deck.

Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo welcomed Kerry’s nomination as “good news for our planet”.

Good news for our planet! 🌍
Congratulations to my friend @JohnKerry, named as special presidential envoy for climate change. Dear John, I can't wait to work with you again. You will always be welcome in Paris! https://t.co/STWf5Gafx2

— Anne Hidalgo (@Anne_Hidalgo) November 23, 2020

“Dear John, I can’t s wait to work with you again. You will always be welcome in Paris,” Hidalgo tweeted in English.

US on track to return to Paris deal 

Under Donald Trump, the US formally left the Paris Agreement to aim to keep global average temperatures from rising no more than 1.5 degrees Celsius over pre-industrial levels in November.

Biden has vowed to put the US back into the deal on the first day of his presidency in January.

'America is back', says Biden as he introduces new national security team

President-elect Joe Biden stands with his nominees for his national security team at his transition headquarters in the Queen Theater in Wilmington, Delaware, U.S., November 24, 2020. (L-R), are: Antony Blinken to be secretary of state; Jake Sullivan to be U.S. national security adviser; Alejandro Mayorkas to be secretary of Homeland Security; Avril Haines to be director of national intelligence; John Kerry to be a special envoy for climate change; and Ambassador to the United Nations-nominee Linda Thomas-Greenfield, who stands behind Vice President-elect Kamala Haris. REUTERS - JOSHUA ROBERTS

Kerry, 76, ran unsuccessfully as the Democratic Party’s candidate for the US presidency in 2004. He stood by Biden through the incoming president’s campaign this year.

In addition to the Paris Agreement, Kerry was chief architect of the Iran nuclear deal as US top diplomat under former president Barack Obama.

Kerry makes climate key issue

Last year he pivoted towards making climate his signature issue, launching cross-party coalition “World War Zero” that includes military officials, Republican Arnold Schwarzenegger and celebrities Leonardo DiCaprio and Emma Watson.

“Things are getting worse, not better. So we have our unlikely allies coming together here… to treat this like a war,” Kerry said when the coalition launched in late 2019.

The United States is the world’s second-biggest polluter after China. Emissions levels have been declining in recent years due to increasing uses of natural gas and renewable energy sources.

The levels though are not falling at the rate needed to achieve Biden’s goal to make the United States carbon neutral by 2050.

(with newswires)