Despite the increase in fossil fuel production, John Kerry remains firm in the belief that the US is actively working towards addressing the climate crisis and making positive impacts.

The departing American head of climate change recognized the need for effective precautions to be taken in order to dismantle oil and gas structures before transitioning to renewable energy can be fully established. This comes as he nears the end of his term as special envoy for the president.

“I do not believe that we are causing harm,” he stated in an interview with the Guardian at the US embassy in London upon leaving his government position. “We are fulfilling our duties to shift towards renewable energy. As we continue to implement renewables, the use of fossil fuels is decreasing at a rapid rate.”

The United States is the biggest economy in the world and also holds the top spot for oil and gas production. This is due to the increase in fracking and exploration efforts, which have been fueled by the rising prices of fossil fuels. In January, President Joe Biden placed a temporary hold on export permits, but experts believe this will not be sufficient to slow down the rapid growth that has stemmed from this boom.

Kerry stated that gas producers should adhere to stringent regulations, while acknowledging the need for increased production in the short term in order to facilitate the global transition from coal to a low-carbon economy. He also noted that the US has the potential to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions and take a leading role in promoting clean technology worldwide.

“The speaker claimed that we are currently the top global producer in the [oil and gas] industry. However, the shift towards using gas as a replacement for oil and coal has significantly decreased emissions. Can this transition ultimately lead us to reach net zero emissions? Only if we are able to capture and reduce all emissions.”

Due to the swift development of renewable energy resources, spurred on by the Inflation Reduction Act – which has been hailed as the most progressive and all-encompassing legislation for addressing climate change globally – it has been announced that the US is on course to achieve its target of reducing emissions by more than 50% by the year 2030, in comparison to levels recorded in 2005. The speaker further added that the US is not blindly pursuing opposing objectives by simultaneously prioritizing the expansion of oil and gas industries and addressing climate concerns.

He stated that the extraction of oil and gas had been increased in reaction to the Ukrainian invasion by Russian President Vladimir Putin.

“Don’t measure us by what’s happened in the last year, in terms of the continued gas thing, because the gas piece is a reaction to Ukraine, to what Russia did by cutting off power and the lack of gas availability to Europe,” he said. “We’ve been able to sustain economies, even as those economies are buying into the climate transition.”

Kerry expressed concern about the future of gas, particularly regarding the infrastructure being developed. He urged for a committed approach to phasing out this infrastructure, even before its expected lifespan. He has brought up this issue in discussions with several gas producers, emphasizing the potential risk of investing in 30-40 year infrastructure that may become obsolete during this transition.

According to him, implementing those commitments would necessitate new regulations. It is necessary to establish incentives, frameworks, and regulations within the market to help us achieve our goals of transitioning to net zero. Failure to do so will result in repercussions in terms of regulatory actions.

The individual cautioned that gas companies should strategize immediately. “We would prefer that companies act responsibly and not require such measures. However, we are currently facing that challenge.”

Kerry allowed for the possibility of companies taking responsibility for capturing the greenhouse gas emissions produced by burning fossil fuels. However, he doubted that this solution alone would fully address the issue of decarbonisation.

He expressed concern about the ability to capture them, stating that it could potentially pose an issue. Many individuals have reservations about the possibility of successfully capturing it on a large scale and making it functional.

In January 2021, Kerry was selected by Biden to serve as the special presidential envoy for climate. Prior to this, he held the position of secretary of state during Barack Obama’s second term from 2013-2017, which is the US equivalent of a foreign minister. During his tenure, Kerry played a key role in negotiating and ratifying the Paris climate agreement of 2015.

During his time in those positions, he was successful in establishing a strong connection with China, the leading producer of emissions and second largest economy, regarding environmental matters. In preparation for the Cop28 UN summit in Dubai, he and Xie Zhenhua, his counterpart from China, released a collaborative agreement in November, pledging to collaborate on reducing methane emissions and discovering innovative methods to decrease carbon emissions.

Their strong bond with Xie has been a cornerstone of UN climate meetings for many years. During the concluding press conference of Cop28, once the final result was achieved, the two individuals appeared on stage side by side to honor each other. It gave the impression of a goodbye moment and in January, it was announced that both Xie and Kerry would be stepping down.

Kerry stated that China needs to decrease its dependence on coal. He pointed out that there are currently plans for 500GW of new coal-based power across Asia, with 360GW in China and 160GW in other southern Asian countries. If these plans are carried out, it could negate the progress made by Europe, the EU, US, Canada, and other nations. Therefore, our main task is to speed up this transition and ensure it aligns with scientific findings.

It is anticipated that Kerry will make an official departure announcement in the coming days. He will not completely retire from the international arena, as he intends to continue advocating for businesses to take more decisive measures on climate change.

John Podesta, a former chair of Hillary Clinton’s presidential campaign and senior adviser to Obama, has been appointed as a White House adviser with a focus on international climate policy.

As the United States gears up for what is anticipated to be a contentious presidential election in the upcoming year, the issue of climate change is projected to be a contentious topic. While not specifying any individuals, Kerry has strongly cautioned against the use of “demagoguery” and the spread of false information, and in some cases, outright lies, by certain politicians.

The main concern in climate policy is the urgent global attempt to control temperature increases and limit them to 1.5C above preindustrial levels. Kerry emphasized the importance of preserving this limit and acknowledged that some experts believe we may have already surpassed it. This is the driving force behind our actions.

Can we consider 1.5 degrees Celsius as an unattainable endeavor? Kerry expresses concern about the goal, but remains committed to it as the primary objective. “I am not willing to concede that it cannot be achieved, as long as we take the necessary actions that we are aware of,” he asserts.

Source: theguardian.com