EEM Professor John Paul Helveston appeared on CNN’s “Climate Crisis Town Hall” television program on April 23, 2021. The show coincided with a couple of related major events – the 2021 Earth Day activities and President Biden’s April 20-21 worldwide Climate Summit, at which the leaders of 40 nations around the world, in addition to Biden and senior members of his Administration, participated.
During the show, Prof. Helveston asked Secretary Kerry, who currently is President Biden’s Special Envoy for Climate, the following question: "Having left global climate agreements not once but twice, the US is at risk of ceding climate leadership to other nations like China (if it hasn't already done so). What will the Biden-Harris administration do to establish international confidence that the US is serious about climate action? What actions can we take that won't simply be undone by the next administration should it be another one that denies climate science?"
Mr. Kerry responded that the Biden administration's ambitious climate efforts will withstand potential attacks from future administrations opposed to combating climate change, stating that forthcoming massive environmentally-conscious investment will be too large for anyone to change. He cited the formation of the Net-Zero Banking Alliance, a group of 43 banks representing 23 countries and $28.5 trillion in assets that have pledged to align with net-zero emissions by 2050. Kerry said “I'll tell you why this will stick -- because trillions of dollars are going to be spent and invested all around the world. That money that is being invested, no politician could come along and undo what is going to happen in the transformation of our economies on a global basis.
Other distinguished participants on the show, besides Prof. Helveston and Secretary Kerry, were White House national climate advisor Gina McCarthy, USEPA Administrator Michael Regan, and Department of Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm.