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John Podesta: New task for advisor to the US President

Photo: Brendan Smialowski / AFP

US presidential advisor John Podesta will succeed John Kerry as US climate envoy. The 75-year-old is a "combative advocate" for "courageous" action in the fight against global warming, said President Joe Biden's White House chief of staff, Jeff Zients, on Wednesday. The world also knows that Podesta enjoys Biden's trust and speaks on behalf of the president.

The experienced political strategist is already responsible under Biden for implementing the historic climate protection package known as the Inflation Reduction Act, which was passed in the summer of 2022. The package of measures with the English name Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) provides, among other things, around 370 billion dollars (around 342 billion euros) for a green energy transition. It is the largest investment in the fight against global warming in US history.

Podesta, who worked under Democratic President Bill Clinton, will continue to oversee the implementation of the climate protection package. In addition, he will now lead the US's international diplomatic climate efforts as John Kerry's successor. The 80-year-old Kerry is giving up the post of US special envoy for climate protection to get involved in Biden's campaign for re-election.

Biden has made the fight against global warming a central theme of his presidency. The Democratic Party politician brought the US back into the 2015 Paris Climate Agreement, from which his predecessor Donald Trump withdrew, and is vigorously pushing forward the expansion of renewable energy in the United States.

However, for many environmentalists, Biden is not being decisive enough to move away from fossil fuels. The conservative Republicans, on the other hand, accuse the 81-year-old president of harming the economy with his climate policy. The issue is also likely to play an important role in the election campaign before the presidential election in November, which is likely to see another duel between Biden and Trump.

hen/AFP