Secretary of State John Kerry plans to be involved in a climate change meeting between the U.S. and China this summer in Boston as “Citizen Kerry” in an effort to allay concerns about the new incoming Trump administration.
He is “absolutely confident” that this year’s climate meeting is “going to be even more important than it might have been otherwise,” Kerry said while giving a speech at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology Monday. “And I intend, as Citizen Kerry, to be as involved as I can.
“I know a lot of people are worried what’s going to happen with the administration and so forth,” he said, alluding to President-elect Trump’s stated goal of exiting the 2015 Paris climate change agreement. The U.S.-China Climate-Smart/Low-Carbon Cities Summit is meant to organize U.S. and Chinese local governments in taking efforts toward meeting the goals of the Paris climate deal.
Last year’s summit was held in Beijing and included 1,000 participants, 49 Chinese cities and provinces, and 17 U.S. cities, states and counties.
“The local efforts here are going to be essential in meeting the goals that we’ve set,” Kerry said. “The fact is mayors all across the country are engaged in their own efforts, as are governors, and I’m confident about the ability of those things to go forward.”
