Former Obama Administration Secretary of State Appointed as Special Envoy
Kerry Meets World Leaders to Advocate Climate Change Response
Climate Change Special Envoy Elevated to Ministerial Level
Attends National Security Council to Discuss Current Issues
[Asia Economy Reporter Naju-seok] The nomination of former U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry as the Biden administration's climate change envoy is interpreted to have symbolic significance in many ways. Not only did President-elect Biden reaffirm his intention to rejoin the Paris Climate Agreement on his first day in office, but he also reclassified climate change as a national security issue. The climate change envoy holds a ministerial rank, meets with heads of state to urge climate change action, and attends the National Security Council meetings.
Kerry, the nominee, was the leading figure in negotiating the Paris Climate Agreement during the Obama administration when he served as Secretary of State. The transition team introduced Kerry as "the key architect of the Paris Climate Agreement, who signed the historic accord to reduce carbon dioxide emissions with his granddaughter on his lap."
President-elect Biden is interpreted to have expressed his intention to restore America's climate change leadership lost during President Donald Trump's tenure and to persuade countries that have become cynical about climate change issues through Kerry.
Particularly, there is high expectation for Kerry's diplomatic capabilities. The transition team cited The New York Times (NYT), which referred to him as "Mr. Diplomacy." The NYT evaluated that Kerry's diplomatic role has become even more challenging than when he served as Secretary of State in the Obama administration.
Notably, Kerry is set to attend not only cabinet meetings but also the National Security Council. This shows that the Biden administration recognizes climate change as a national security threat. Shortly after the nomination news was announced, Kerry said, "The United States will soon become a government that addresses the climate crisis as a national security threat." U.S. media emphasized that it is the first time in American history that a climate change envoy attends the National Security Council.
Considering that Tony Blinken, the nominee for Secretary of State, and Jake Sullivan, the nominee for White House National Security Advisor, are veteran diplomacy and security experts, Kerry's status within the administration is expected to be even greater. The NYT introduced him as the most prominent figure among the cabinet appointments announced by President-elect Biden so far.
Todd Stern, who served as climate envoy during the Obama administration, described Kerry as "an efficient and tireless negotiator who understands the scale and speed needed to respond to climate change and has shown deep commitment." He said the decision for Kerry to attend the National Security Council is "very unusual and will attract attention from China, the European Union (EU), India, and others."
The Biden transition team announced plans to appoint a coordinator next month at the White House to coordinate domestic climate change policies. The coordinator will manage climate change issues among various federal agencies within the United States.
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