Conn. environmentalists praise Kerry as Biden’s climate envoy
Environmental advocates in Connecticut are applauding President-elect Joe Biden for taking steps that they say solidify his plan to prioritize climate change when he heads to the White
House in January.
Chief among his early decisions is appointing John Kerry to his administration as his special envoy for climate.
A former secretary of state, Democratic presidential nominee and longtime senator from Massachusetts, Kerry will become the first member of
the National Security Council to focus exclusively on climate change in the new role.
Lori Brown, executive director of the Connecticut League of Conservation Voters, said Kerry’s political expertise will be key to succeeding in the new post. The creation of the new role is an encouraging sign from Biden, who vowed in his campaign to tackle the impact of climate change.
“The idea that you’ve actually got somebody whose job is to focus on how we approach climate is an incredibly important step,” Brown said of Kerry’s post.
Over 100 laws and regulations affecting the environment were rolled back under the Trump administration, so there is a lot of work to be done, she said.
The administration is also expected to add a domestic policy coordinator on climate who will work collaboratively with Kerry, she said. Building out a structure at the federal level so that all policies are examined through the lens of climate change impact is another important sign, Brown said.
“Once you have a structure set up you have a vehicle for really making things happen,” she said.
Kerry has a history of working on climate issues and, as secretary of state in President Barack Obama’s second term, played a key role in negotiating and then ultimately signed the Paris Agreement, which focused on addressing the negative impacts of climate change and was adopted in 2015 by over 100 countries.
President Donald Trump vowed to withdraw from the agreement. His administration delivered notification in August 2017, and the withdrawal became official the day after Election Day. Biden has promised that on his first day in office he will bring the United States back into the Paris Agreement as he renews a commitment to mitigate climate change.
“The appointment of Secretary Kerry as President-elect Biden’s special envoy on climate sends a clear, strong signal to the world that the climate crisis is real, and that the United States will once again be a leader in the global community’s efforts to combat climate change,” said Robert J. Klee, lecturer at Yale Law School and Yale School of the Environment.
Former commissioner of the state Department of Energy and Environmental Protection, Klee said that Kerry will bring his stature, deep knowledge and passion to the new role — all of which will be critical to undo the damage done by the Trump administration.
Kerry’s collaborative, consensus-building style will be needed as the country reengages with the world on climate, Klee said, and to translate the global efforts into climate action within the country.
“The task President-elect Biden has assigned to Kerry will not be easy, but I cannot think of a better person for this role, at this pivotal moment for our planet,” Klee said.
David Downie, chair of the Department of Political Science and director of the Environmental Studies Program at Fairfield University, said Kerry is seen as trustworthy by other major countries that are also looking to address climate change.
“They may not always agree with him, but after dealing with him and Obama, they understand the limits of what the U.S. can do and the desire for the U.S. to be a part of a global solution,” Downie said.
Climate change is not only bad for the United States economically, it is also a national security threat, he said.
“To solve the problem in the long run, we absolutely need international cooperation,” Downie said.
He said Kerry is a seasoned diplomat after his tenure as secretary of state and is familiar with the territory.
“Whether that will lead to a grand bargain and increase in global cooperation like (the Paris Agreement) is unclear, but it’s a step in the right direction,” Downie said.
Brown said the appointment, which shows Biden’s continued dedication to the issue, could also help state legislators. She said Gov. Ned Lamont has been strong on clean energy but has looked to strike a balance.
“I think with clear leadership from the top he will be able to comfortably push forward with a lot of things,” she said.
Brown said she could see also Kerry’s new role becoming a permanent position in government moving forward.
With a national focus on climate change, more people will be made aware of the dangers and the actions that need to be taken, she said. She added that it is unlikely that the U.S. will ever see another presidential candidate unwilling to address climate change.
“When the people lead, the leaders will follow,” Brown said. “I think you will see forever more that we have to. It’s our own survival that is at stake here.”