Biden names John Kerry special envoy for climate crisis

President-elect Joe Bidenhas selected John Kerry as his special presidential envoy for climate. He spoke at a press conference on Tuesday.

Video transcript

JOHN KERRY: I will do all in my power to live up to your expectations and to this moment for our country and for the world. And I begin by thanking my family for empowering me and encouraging me to take this task on.

Secretary-designate Blinken, we've worked together for many years on the Foreign Relations Committee and at Foggy Bottom, and it will be a huge pleasure to partner with you again. You will be a terrific secretary.

Mr. President-elect, you've put forward a bold, transformative climate plan, but you've also underscored that no country alone can solve this challenge. Even the United States, for all of our industrial strength, is responsible for only 13% of global emissions. To end this crisis, the whole world must come together. You're right to rejoin Paris on day one, and you're right to recognize that Paris alone is not enough. At the global meeting in Glasgow one year from now, all nations must raise ambition together, or we will all fail together, and failure is not an option.

Succeeding together means tapping into the best of American ingenuity, creativity, and diplomacy, from brainpower to alternative-energy power, using every tool we have to get where we have to go. No one should doubt the determination of this president, vice president. They shouldn't doubt the determination of a country that went to the moon, cured supposedly incurable diseases, and beat back global tyranny to beat World War-- to win World War II. This kind of crisis demands that kind of leadership again, and President Biden will provide it.

The road ahead is exciting, actually. It means creating millions of middle-class jobs. It means less pollution in our air and ocean. It means making life healthier for citizens across the world. And it means we will strengthen the security of every nation in the world. In addressing the climate crisis, President-elect Joe Biden is determined to seize the future now and leave a healing planet to future generations.

57 years ago this week, Joe Biden and I were college kids when we lost the president who inspired both of us to try to make a difference, a president who reminded us that here on earth, God's work must truly be our own. President Joe Biden will trust in God, and he will also trust in science to guide our work on earth to protect God's creation.

Mr. President-elect and Vice President-elect Harris, I look forward to getting to work. Thank you.