President-elect Joe Biden’s Cabinet Picks and What This Means for Climate Change
By Deviana Lal
For the climate, Biden’s election win is only the first step on a long, laborious journey. As election day creeps closer upon the horizon, Biden’s picks for his “Climate Cabinet” are becoming increasingly important. Between the runoff Senate elections, the current public health crisis, and a change in administration, there are several potential impediments to climate action.
However, Biden’s current and upcoming “Climate Cabinet” picks seem to be promising. With a diverse, intersectional group of leaders entering the Cabinet, there is a lot of hope that the climate campaign promises Joe Biden and Kamala Harris ran on will be fruitful. To start, let’s take a look at who has been picked so far and what they have the power to accomplish.
1. John Kerry
One of Biden’s first picks is an Obama administration alum. John Kerry, who served as Obama’s Secretary of State for his second term, and will now answer to President-elect Joe Biden as the U.S. Special Presidential Envoy for Climate.
Now, what does that mouthful of a title actually mean? This position is relatively new. Under Obama, from 2009-2011, Carole Browner served as the White House Office of Energy and Climate Change Policy director. However, Kerry’s position is actually within the realm of the United States National Security Council ("President-Elect Biden Announces Key Members of Foreign Policy and National Security Team"). This is a landmark decision, as the NSC has never had a member who directly deals with the climate crisis. It only makes sense that Kerry is a member of the NSC because climate change is, and has always been, a national security issue.
John Kerry was a seemingly contentious pick, with many of Biden’s more progressive voters hoping for someone younger and more diverse. At 76 years old, he is a Vietnam veteran, a former senator, a former diplomat, and a revered, former Secretary of State. This extensive expertise in government and experience with the climate surely make him a viable candidate. In an NPR interview with Kerry, he stated that his first of many missions is to rejoin the Paris Climate Accords and prepare for the November 2021 climate summit. He is also very aware that the previous administration has tarnished the United States’ credibility in such negotiations. It will take a lot of work to gain back trust from the rest of the world. To do this, he plans to focus on the economic benefits of a “greener” world, including the transition to renewable energy (Inskeep).
Here is a short excerpt from John Kerry’s interview from NPR in response to a question about the fragmentation of America:
“I believe the way we make progress is by delivering, by showing people very specifically what the benefits are, what the facts are, and by building a consensus. I mean, that is the process of a democracy. It's been made harder in these last years because of denialism that has been exacerbated purposefully by entities and by politicians. But I do believe the marketplace actually has the ability to be a very powerful force for good and for things to happen, and politicians can kind of get in the way and provide some road bumps, but they're not going to stop what's happening now.”
1. Mayor Pete Buttigieg
Pete Buttigieg, often touted “Mayor Pete,” ran for the Democratic Party Presidential nomination against Joe Biden in 2020. Though he lost the nomination, Mayor Pete won in another way. If confirmed, Buttigieg will serve as the Secretary of Transportation. This is one of the most important roles in Biden’s cabinet, as 28.2% of greenhouse gas emissions in the United States come from the transportation sector, making it the largest contributor of these emissions in the country.
Mayor Pete has many responsibilities as the Secretary of Transportation, and his reputation as a “just a mayor” has carried over from the Democratic presidential race of last year. However, his “middle of America” roots may make him the perfect player for this role. Often, the coastal intellectuals forget about their equally-important counterparts in the Midwest. But, Buttigieg hails from South Bend, Indiana, so he is unlikely to let these voices be silenced, as they have in the past.
As Secretary of Transportation, Mayor Pete will be in charge of 55,000 employees, a hefty $87 billion budget, and supervise the highway, airspace, and pipeline systems in the United States. His confirmation will play a central role in reaching the Biden administration’s lofty yet inexorable goals, such as carbon neutrality by 2050. The transition to electric-powered vehicles is imperative, and Mayor Pete is ready to take this on. On December 21, 2020, he tweeted:
“To meet the climate crisis, we must put millions of new electric vehicles on America’s roads. It's time to build public charging infrastructure powered by clean energy and make it available in all parts of this country.”
It seems Mayor Pete is ready to tackle the climate crisis head-on, which is precisely the type of energy needed to handle such a massive part of the United States’ greenhouse gas emissions.
If Mayor Pete is confirmed, he will also be the first openly gay Cabinet member, a monumental step towards intersectionality in our government.
3. Brenda Mallory
If there ever was someone so suited to be the head of the White House Council on Environmental Quality, it is without a doubt, Brenda Mallory. From her copious experience to her bipartisan support, this top-notch environmental lawyer is going to get the job done. Perhaps her best quality is her relatively low media attention. She works diligently, behind the scenes, for both Democrats and Republicans, heading projects for the EPA, the Southern Environmental Law Center, and the White House. She is passionate and skilled in a whole host of environmental issues, from the protection of public lands to air pollution reduction. Fighting climate change is a dynamic and challenging problem that requires creative solutions. Brenda Mallory’s multi-faceted approach is one of the most heartening and hopeful options Biden’s Cabinet has put forward (Friedman, 2020).
What does this title entail for Brenda Mallory? The Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ) serves as an advisory board for the President and Congress. This position essentially equals the balance between environmental issues and federal legislation. One of the most criticized parts of the legislation system in America surrounding climate change is that we have policymakers who are not versed in environmental knowledge. Brenda Mallory fits the bill in every way. As an environmental lawyer, she has studied law and the environment, making her a vital liaise between scientists and politicians. This is one of the most successful organizations within the White House, and the Government Accountability Office has praised its role in decision-making.
Another significant role of Brenda Mallory’s new gig is to tackle environmental justice. This is no easy feat. However, her past accomplishments should provide us some hope for the future. Mallory served on the Climate 21 Project, an organization of over 150 experts, which created an actionable agenda on climate change for the White House. This project holds government officials accountable for these actions and the promotion of environmental justice (Friedman, 2020). Environmental justice is at the heart of our fight for climate change. This metric must be included when determining the success of future policies. Brenda Mallory is not only fighting for Earth but also for people of all ages, races, ethnicities, classes, genders, and sexualities in regards to the climate. If confirmed, Mallory will be the first African American to chair the CEQ.
These three Cabinet picks listed above are certainly not the only members of Biden’s new administration. There is a lot to look forward to in terms of diversity within Biden’s Cabinet. From the first Native American to the first openly gay Cabinet members, this election is making history as we speak. It is imperative, however, that this administration is not all talk and no game. Action is necessary, but we believe that these picks will hold the President-elect accountable to carry out his campaign promises.
References
Friedman, Lisa. “Biden to Pick Brenda Mallory to Run White House Environment Office.” The New York Times, The New York Times, 16 Dec. 2020, www.nytimes.com/2020/12/16/climate/brenda-mallory-council-environmental-quality.html
Inskeep, Steve. “As Climate Envoy, Kerry To Seek 'Ambition' With 'Humility'.” NPR, NPR, 10 Dec. 2020, www.npr.org/2020/12/10/944572621/as-climate-envoy-kerry-to-seek-ambition-with-humility
Lewis, Michelle “Pete Buttigieg Wants to Put 'Millions' of Electric Cars on US Roads.” Electrek, 23 Dec. 2020, electrek.co/2020/12/22/pete-buttigieg-wants-to-put-millions-of-electric-cars-on-us-roads/
"President-Elect Biden Announces Key Members of Foreign Policy and National Security Team" (Press release). 23 November 2020.