John Kerry, the Forrest Gump of climate, reflects on his role as US special presidential envoy for climate, challenges in US climate diplomacy, global action on climate change, importance of public understanding and activism, frustrations in investment, and exploring political will in climate action.
John Kerry has been actively involved in impactful climate initiatives, aiming to restore US global credibility on climate action.
Acknowledging historical US contributions to greenhouse gas emissions, there's a need for substantial actions and investments in innovative technologies for effective climate transition.
Deep dives
John Kerry's Environmental Activism and Diplomacy Efforts
John Kerry, known for his impactful contributions to climate initiatives, has been actively involved in environmental movements since 1970, participating in key events like the Earth Day protests and the signing of the Paris Agreement. His recent focus, from ages 77 to 80, has been on addressing climate issues, leading to his appointment as the special presidential envoy on climate by President Joe Biden. Kerry's diplomatic efforts aimed to restore America's global credibility in climate action post the US's withdrawal from the Paris Agreement during the Trump administration.
Challenges in Recognizing and Addressing Climate Responsibilities
The podcast discusses the historical contribution of the US to greenhouse gas emissions and the need for the country to carry a significant burden in combating climate change. Despite being one of the major emitters historically, the US often falls short in shouldering its responsibilities. This challenge was exacerbated by Trump's policies, necessitating a focused approach under the Biden administration. The conversation underscores the importance of acknowledging past contributions and taking substantial actions to rectify the environmental impact.
Financial and Technological Innovation for Climate Transition
The discussion highlights the necessary financial and technological innovations required for effective climate transition. Emphasizing the pivotal role of trillions of dollars in investment, especially in developing countries, the focus shifts to leveraging technologies like green hydrogen, fusion energy, and renewable sources like solar and wind power. The conversation underscores the potential economic transformation towards a clean energy economy and the need for swift and substantial scaling up of these efforts for global impact.
John Kerry is the Forrest Gump of climate. The guy you’ll find at every important turn in history doing something impactful. For the last three years, he has been the US special presidential envoy for climate and tasked with restoring the US’s global credibility on climate action. In a conversation with Akshat Rathi, Kerry reflects on those efforts, his frustrations and what still keeps him going at 80.
Zero is a production of Bloomberg Green. Our producers are Tiffany Tsoi, Sommer Saadi and Magnus Henriksson. Special thanks this week to Kira Bindrim and Jen Dlouhy. Thoughts or suggestions? Email us at zeropod@bloomberg.net. For more coverage of climate change and solutions, visit https://www.bloomberg.com/green.