Todd Stern, the chief U.S. climate negotiator to step down
Todd Stern, widely considered to be one of the key architects and driving forces behind the Paris Climate Accord, is stepping down from his post on April 1 after seven years. The State Department announced Stern's decision on Monday afternoon.
Stern will be replaced by his former deputy, Jonathan Pershing, who has served for the past three years as the senior climate advisor to Energy Secretary Ernest Moniz.
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Stern's cool demeanor and consistent optimism about reaching a truly global climate agreement was an important factor in moving the world toward a historic accord in Paris in December. He also played an integral role in securing two bilateral climate agreements with China, which is the world's top emitter of greenhouse gases (the U.S. is number two).
In a statement, Secretary of State John Kerry praised Stern's "mastery of the climate challenge and all of its nuances, his diligence, and his negotiating skills."
"He played an enormous role in achieving so many of our climate milestones, and the tireless work by Todd and his team over many years will benefit future generations in every corner of the globe," Kerry stated.
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Pershing will now face the difficult task of ensuring that the U.S. and other countries sign the agreement and follow through on their commitments.
In addition, scientists and policy makers agree that far more ambitious emissions cuts will be needed to truly limit global warming to under 2 degrees Celsius, or 3.6 degrees Fahrenheit, above preindustrial levels by 2100, as called for in the agreement.
As part of the Paris agreement, the U.S. agreed to cut its greenhouse gas emissions by 26 to 28 percent by 2025 compared to 2005 levels.
In order to accomplish these goals, the U.S. will have to rely on the implementation of the Obama administration's Clean Power Plan, which the Supreme Court has temporarily blocked.
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Andrew Freedman is Mashable's Senior Editor for Science and Special Projects. Prior to working at Mashable, Freedman was a Senior Science writer for Climate Central. He has also worked as a reporter for Congressional Quarterly and Greenwire/E&E Daily. His writing has also appeared in the Washington Post, online at The Weather Channel, and washingtonpost.com, where he wrote a weekly climate science column for the "Capital Weather Gang" blog. He has provided commentary on climate science and policy for Sky News, CBC Radio, NPR, Al Jazeera, Sirius XM Radio, PBS NewsHour, and other national and international outlets. He holds a Masters in Climate and Society from Columbia University, and a Masters in Law and Diplomacy from The Fletcher School at Tufts University.
