President Joe Biden signed an executive order this week to create a new federal government office dedicated to fighting climate change.
"The purpose of the CCSO shall be to perform the specific project of supporting bilateral and multilateral engagement to advance the United States initiative to address the global climate crisis, led by the Department of State and in coordination with other executive departments and agencies," the executive order states. "In carrying out its purpose as set forth in subsection 1(c) of this order, the CCSO shall support the Department of State and other executive departments and agencies, as appropriate, in leading diplomatic engagement on climate change, exercising climate leadership in international fora, increasing international climate ambition, and ensuring that climate change is integrated into all elements of United States foreign policy-making decision processes."
Last month Climate Czar John Kerry returned to the White House briefing room to offer jobs to oil and gas workers that don't yet exist.
Earlier this year Kerry told those same workers they need to "make better choices" and "build solar panels."
"What President Biden wants to do is make sure those folks have better choices, that they have alternatives, that they can be the people to go to work to make the solar panels,” Kerry said in January.
Meanwhile Kerry, who still has a security clearance, is under fire for sharing classified information about military operations with Iranian Foreign Minister Javad Zarif. Lawmakers on Capitol Hill have asked White House counsel to investigate his behavior and reassess his access to sensitive information.
"We are conducting oversight of Special Envoy for Climate John Kerry’s reported decision to provide potentially classified intelligence to Iran. Secretary Kerry allegedly not only provided Iran with sensitive information during his time as Secretary of State, but also while President Trump was in office in an apparent attempt to undermine his Administration. This raises serious concerns about Secretary Kerry’s fitness to serve in his current role with the National Security Council (NSC) and whether these allegations should affect Secretary Kerry’s ability to maintain a security clearance," a number of Republicans on the House Oversight Committee wrote in a letter this week to White House Counsel Dana Remus. "This is not the first time that Secretary Kerry undermined U.S. foreign policy interests by talking with Iran. He also met with Foreign Minister Zarif as a private citizen in 2017, 2018, and 2019. The goal of these meetings was reportedly 'to devise a political strategy to undermine the Trump administration.' Secretary Kerry’s decision to provide information to Iran poses serious questions about his ability to serve in a role of public trust."