| Special Presidential Envoy for Climate of the United States | |
|---|---|
 | |
Incumbent Vacant | |
| United States Department of State | |
| Type | Special Presidential Envoy |
| Status | Not Confirmed |
| Member of | United States National Security Council (NSC) |
| Reports to | President of the United States |
| Appointer | President of the United States |
| Term length | The pleasure of the president |
| Inaugural holder | John Kerry |
| Formation | January 20, 2021 |
| Website | Official website |
TheUnited States special presidential envoy for climate (SPEC) was a position within theU.S. Department of State responsible for "leading US diplomacy to address the climate crisis" duringJoe Biden's presidency.[1] The special envoy was a member ofthe principals committee of the National Security Council, reporting directly to the president.[2]
In April 2025, underDonald Trump's second administration,U.S. secretary of stateMarco Rubio announced that the position had been abolished.[3][4]
There had been previous climate policy advisors in the White House fulfilling similar roles.Carol Browner was director of the now-defunctWhite House Office of Energy and Climate Change Policy from 2009 to 2011.[5] Barack Obama had appointedTodd Stern to the role of special envoy for climate change in 2009. Stern later served as US chief negotiator for theParis Agreement.[6] Following Stern's departure in mid-2016,Jonathan Pershing took over as US climate envoy until the end of the administration.[7][8]
In November 2020, President-electJoe Biden announced former secretary of stateJohn Kerry would serve in a newly created role as the first special presidential envoy for climate. This new position made him a member of theUnited States National Security Council (NSC). It was the first time that the NSC would have an official dedicated to climate change issues and to addressing theclimate crisis as one affectingnational security.[9][10][11][12]
The term "climate czar" was used informally to describe Kerry's position.[13]
On January 13, 2024, sources close to Kerry revealed that he would leave this position by the upcoming spring.[14][15] Later that month, it was announced thatJohn Podesta would succeed John Kerry as envoy.[16]
SinceTrump's second inauguration in January 2025, the position has been left vacant.
| No. | Portrait | Officeholder | Term start | Term end | President | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | .jpg) | John Kerry | January 20, 2021 | March 6, 2024 | Joe Biden | |
| 2 | .jpg) | John Podesta | March 6, 2024 | January 20, 2025 | ||
Former Secretary of State John Kerry will fight climate change full-time as Special Presidential Envoy for Climate and will sit on the National Security Council. This marks the first time that the NSC would include an official dedicated to climate change, reflecting the president-elect's commitment to addressing climate change as an urgent national security issue.