Statement on President-Elect Biden Selecting Tony Blinken to Lead Global Climate Action as Secretary of State

Washington, D.C. — Today, Lori Lodes, executive director of Climate Power 2020, issued the following statement on President-elect Joe Biden’s decision to nominate Tony Blinken as Secretary of State:

“Choosing Tony Blinken to lead the Department of State marks a much-needed change in U.S. foreign policy as the world faces the most pressing global and diplomatic challenge of our time: tackling the climate crisis. As Secretary of State, Blinken will oversee the U.S. re-entry into the Paris Agreement and partner with the global community to implement ambitious, collaborative climate action. President-elect Biden’s campaign made clear that climate action will be a government-wide strategy, and with Blinken at the helm of the State Department, we can restore our nation’s role as a leader on global climate action.”

Blinken is one of Biden’s closest foreign policy advisors and played a key role in shaping the international component of Biden’s government-wide approach to climate action. Since the election, Biden has spoken about climate with at least a dozen world leaders, further cementing that this is a top priority for the administration and Blinken’s State Department.

Blinken previously served as deputy secretary of state and deputy national security adviser, as well as advising Biden as the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.