President Joe Biden’s special adviser on climate change, John Kerry, has decided to leave the position after three years to help Biden’s re-election campaign, two administration sources said Saturday.
The former United States senator and secretary of state’s decision comes a month after he played a key role in brokering an international agreement announced in Dubai for nations around the world to transition away from fossil fuels.
The 80-year-old Democrat informed Biden of his intention to leave on Wednesday, and his staff learned of the decision on Saturday, these officials said.
While the sources said Kerry will leave his position later this winter, they revealed that the administration has not decided who may be chosen to replace him.
Axios first reported Kerry’s plans.
The longtime climate advocate was appointed by Biden after winning the 2020 election and tasked with renewing US engagement in international climate talks after Donald Trump withdrew the US from the Paris Agreement.
Kerry’s appointment as special envoy for climate change did not require Senate confirmation, and he holds a seat on the National Security Council, the first time an official has addressed climate issues on that body.
In an interview with Reuters in December after COP28, Kerry said he had not made up his mind about his future, but said no matter what, he would not take his eyes off climate action.
“I’m going to keep going as long as God gives me breath and I’m going to work on it one way or another,” Kerry said of climate protection.
Among Kerry’s top priorities as Biden’s special envoy was maintaining close diplomatic ties with China on climate change, even as numerous other political and trade tensions simmered.
