In this December 10, 2019, file photo, former Secretary of State John Kerry attends the COP25 Climate Conference in Madrid.
Washington (CNN)President-elect Joe Biden on Monday appointed John Kerry as his special presidential envoy for climate, underscoring his commitment to tackling the global crisis and offering a symbolic rebuke to President Donald Trump’s lack of leadership on the issue.Kerry, who was President Barack Obama’s secretary of state, will be a Cabinet-level official in Biden’s administration and will sit on the National Security Council.
“This marks the first time that the NSC will include an official dedicated to climate change, reflecting the president-elect’s commitment to addressing climate change as an urgent national security issue,” the Biden transition team said in a statement.
The elevation of the issue in Kerry’s appointment previews a shift in policy and approach from the current President’s repeated denial of the scientific reality of the crisis and systematic rollback of environmental policies.”It’ll be an honor to work with our allies and partners, alongside rising young leaders in the climate movement, to tackle the climate crisis with the seriousness and urgency it deserves,” Kerry wrote in a tweet.
Read More: Biden prioritizes climate crisis by naming John Kerry special envoy
