John D. Podesta has been tapped to serve as President Joe Biden’s special envoy for climate after John Kerry steps down in the coming months, Podesta and White House officials confirmed to The Washington Post on Wednesday. Podesta, 75, has worked as senior adviser to the president for clean energy since Sept. 2022. Prior to that, he served as counselor to President Barack Obama, helping to broker the 2015 Paris climate agreement, and in various roles in the Clinton administration, including as White House chief of staff from 1998 to 2001. Podesta will reportedly remain at the White House—rather than transfer to the State Department—under the new title of senior adviser to the president for international climate policy. “Secretary Kerry has put the U.S. back in leadership on climate around the world,” he told the Post on Wednesday. “And we’ll ensure that we keep up the momentum that has been built up through his efforts.” Kerry, 80, announced his plan to bow out earlier this month. The New York Times reported that he is expected to get involved in Biden’s re-election campaign, helping to get out the word on the administration’s climate achievements
