Kerry to step down as US climate envoy to help Biden campaign

John Kerry, a senior US statesman and one-time presidential candidate, is expected to step down from his role as special envoy for climate to focus on President Joe Biden’s re-election campaign, US media has reported.

Mr Kerry, 80, has travelled the world promoting Mr Biden’s policy agenda and helped re-establish Washington as a leading force in the fight against climate change.

The veteran politician, and former senator from Massachusetts, served as secretary of state from 2013 to 2017 under former president Barack Obama, and was the Democratic candidate in the 2004 presidential election, losing to George W Bush.

Mr Kerry has played a pivotal role in leading US efforts at international climate conferences including last year at Cop28 in Dubai. He was instrumental is helping to broker the 2015 Paris climate agreement.

He also attempted to work closely with China during his time as climate envoy, when US-China relations were particularly frosty.

Mr Kerry is expected to help in Mr Biden’s re-election campaign, which is beginning to gather pace.

Mr Biden’s approval ratings have dropped to the low 30s, a recent poll by ABC News and Ipsos showed.

He appears to be in a dead heat with former president Donald Trump, who is widely expected to win the Republican nomination, a poll by Reuters and Ipsos showed.

If Mr Kerry does work on Mr Biden’s re-election campaign, he will bring name recognition and respected star power, with decades of experience in Washington and on the campaign trail.

It is unclear exactly when Mr Kerry will transition out of his role as special envoy for climate. He is scheduled to open a session on climate change at the World Economic Forum’s annual event in Davos, Switzerland today.