Energy & Environment

Kerry confirms he’s ‘shifting’ to work on 2024 election

John Kerry, U.S. Special Presidential Envoy for Climate, speaks during a news conference at the COP28 U.N. Climate Summit, Dec. 6, 2023, in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. (AP Photo/Kamran Jebreili)

Climate envoy John Kerry confirmed reports he is departing from his role to work on the 2024 election, but told a crowd at the World Economic Forum that he will not be retiring.

“I am not retiring, folks,” he said during a Tuesday appearance at the forum in Davos, Switzerland, focused on climate technologies.

“I am shifting my efforts to where I think they can be best used in an election year in the United States and facing the fact that the Congress is not going to … grab this by the baton,” he added, apparently referring to climate change.

Kerry, in his role as envoy, has spearheaded the Biden administration’s diplomatic efforts on climate change and has also led its negotiating team at the last three annual climate summits.

It was reported over the weekend that he would leave his current post to work on President Biden’s campaign.