Statement of Nathaniel Keohane 
President, Center for Climate and Energy Solutions (C2ES) 

 March 6, 2024 

On John Kerry’s announced departure as U.S. Special Presidential Envoy for Climate Change:  

“John Kerry is one of the most dedicated and effective leaders on climate change America has ever seen, with an influence that reaches far beyond our own borders. As a U.S. Senator, he participated in the Commerce Committee’s global warming hearings as far back as 1989, and he later led bipartisan efforts in the Senate to secure an economy-wide cap on carbon pollution. As Secretary of State, Kerry championed the efforts that secured the landmark Paris Agreement on climate change.  

“Over the past three years, as Special Presidential Envoy on Climate, Kerry has leveraged his unique stature to help make climate change a centerpiece of American diplomacy. His appointment itself was a signal of the Biden Administration’s seriousness on climate change. On his watch, the United States formally rejoined the Paris Agreement, submitted an ambitious 2030 emissions target, and rallied countless allies and countries around the globe to come forward with their own ambitious targets. He and his team spurred critical initiatives to cut carbon pollution, building new coalitions to address methane emissions, protect tropical forests, support the just energy transition, and a great deal else. C2ES has been particularly fortunate to have worked closely with Kerry on the Energy Transition Accelerator, which is creating a new, high-integrity approach to carbon crediting with the potential to channel tens or hundreds of billions of dollars of new climate finance into speeding the clean energy transition in developing countries. 

“If one word describes John Kerry, it is ‘indefatigable.’ Climate hawks around the world, young and old, owe a debt of gratitude to Secretary Kerry and his dogged pursuit of climate progress. We know that he will bring his tireless climate advocacy into his next chapter, and look forward to continuing to work with him on the transition to a thriving low-carbon global economy.”  

About C2ES: The Center for Climate and Energy Solutions (C2ES) works to secure a safe and stable climate, by accelerating the global transition to net-zero greenhouse gas emissions and a thriving, just, and resilient economy. Learn more at www.c2es.org.     

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