President Joe Biden’s special climate envoy John Kerry is weighing whether to depart the administration after the COP27 climate conference, according to a report.
The November elections could pose new challenges as Kerry seeks to navigate a political landscape dominated by global energy needs in the wake of Russia’s war in Ukraine and diminishing traction on cooperation with China, a significant fossil fuel emitter.
He faces the prospect of Republican-led inquiries in Congress if the party wins control in the midterm elections and scrutiny from climate activists frustrated by the scope of his progress.
While Kerry has not made a final decision, he is “actively considering” leaving, according to Axios.
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Biden and Kerry are set to attend next month’s COP27 in Egypt as the elections are underway. The conference runs from Nov. 6-18.
In a statement to the Washington Examiner, the Biden administration strenuously denied that Kerry is preparing to leave his post.
“I can’t stress enough: Secretary Kerry has no plans to depart, and his sole focus is COP27, period, and anything else is baseless speculation,” said Kerry’s spokeswoman, Whitney Smith.
A former secretary of state, senator, and the Democratic presidential nominee in 2004, Kerry has been tasked by Biden with spearheading the administration’s global climate goals. Announcing the appointment, Biden said in a State Department release at the time that Kerry “would have a seat at every table around the world.”
But Kerry has drawn scrutiny across the political aisle over his approach. He argued this week that the United States is not “obstructing” climate compensation talks urged by poorer countries and has defended working with China.
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He has also come under fire for reports that he downplayed China’s treatment of its Uyghur minority while holding a stake in a Chinese investment group that funds a tech company blacklisted for rights abuses against the Uyghurs, according to the Washington Free Beacon.
