Obama NOAA leader joins Biden White House in climate role

Jane Lubchenco, who was the administrator of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) during the Obama administration is joining the White House to help lead climate and science efforts. 

Lubchenco, who held the top role at the NOAA from 2009 to 2013, will take on the newly created position of deputy director for climate and environment at the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP). 

A statement from the White House said that she will bring an approach that connects climate and environment with health, economic recovery, equity and sustainability in an office that oversees major initiatives including the National Climate Assessment. 

That assessment is a major report that comes out every four years, previous versions of which have produced serious warnings about the limited time the U.S. has to act in order to prevent the most significant consequences of climate change.

“I’m eager to work with the stellar team at the White House and across the federal government to craft evidence-based solutions to climate and environmental challenges,” Lubchenco said. 

“A healthy environment and a stable climate are the key to both economic recovery and long-term prosperity that is equitable and just. The need for science-based action has never been greater — and we have ample evidence that smart actions can solve multiple problems simultaneously,” she added.

The Washington Post first reported that Lubchenco would be joining the White House. 

Her appointment is yet another example of a former Obama official joining the Biden administration. 

High profile Obama-era officials who have returned to the executive branch include climate envoy John Kerry, the former secretary of State; Domestic Policy Council Director Susan Rice, who served as national security adviser; and Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack, who’s reprising his previous role. 

A number of Clinton-era officials have also joined the Biden administration.