White House Office of Domestic Climate Policy

White House National Climate Advisor
Incumbent
Ali Zaidi
since September 16, 2022
Executive Branch of the U.S. Government
Executive Office of the President
AppointerThe President
DeputyMary Repko

The White House Office of Domestic Climate Policy (also known as the Climate Policy Office) is an office within the White House Office that is part of the Executive Office of the President of the United States. It is headed by the Assistant to the President and National Climate Advisor (also known as the White House national climate advisor), which is president's chief advisor on domestic climate change policy.[1][2] In addition, the National Climate Advisor serves as vice-chair of the National Climate Task Force.

The Climate Policy Office differs from the U.S. Special Presidential Envoy for Climate, who coordinates foreign climate policy, as well as the Senior Advisor for Clean Energy Innovation and Implementation, who coordinates clean energy policy. It also differs from the Council on Environmental Quality, which assesses environmental impacts within federal agencies.

History

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The Climate Policy Office has its roots in the White House Office of Energy and Climate Change Policy, which was established under the administration of Barack Obama in 2008 but was folded into the United States Domestic Policy Council in 2011 after Congress refused to fund the office. Carol Browner served as the only director of this office. No equivalent office was established under the administration of Donald Trump.

The position of the National Climate Advisor was established by President Joe Biden on January 20, 2021, and the Climate Policy Office was established on January 27. On December 14, 2020, it was announced that Gina McCarthy, the former administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency under President Barack Obama, would serve as the first national climate advisor, as well as chair of the National Climate Task Force.[3][4][5][6] Former New York deputy secretary of energy and environment, Ali Zaidi, served as the first deputy national climate advisor.[7]

On 16 September 2022, Ali Zaidi was promoted to assistant to the president and national climate advisor.[8] However, the leadership of the Task Force was reshuffled, with the Senior Advisor for Clean Energy Innovation and Implementation becoming chair and National Climate Advisor moved to vice-chair.[9]

List of Climate Advisors

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No. Portrait Officeholder Term start Term end President Notes
1 Carol Browner January 22, 2009 March 3, 2011 Barack Obama as Director of the Office of Energy and Climate Change Policy
vacant
2 Gina McCarthy January 20, 2021 September 16, 2022 Joe Biden as White House National Climate Advisor
3 Ali Zaidi September 16, 2022 Incumbent

Structure

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  • Assistant to the President & White House National Climate Advisor: Ali Zaidi
    • Chief of Staff for the Office of Domestic Climate Policy: Medha Raj
  • Deputy Assistant to the President & Deputy National Climate Advisor: Mary Repko
    • Special Assistant to the President for Climate Policy: Maggie Thomas
    • Special Assistant to the President for Climate Policy: David Hayes
    • Special Assistant to the President for Climate Policy: John Rhodes
    • Special Assistant to the President for Climate Finance: Clare Sierawski
    • Special Assistant to the President for Climate Policy and Finance: Jahi Wise
    • Special Assistant to the President for Climate Policy, Innovation & Deployment: Sonia Aggarwal
    • Senior Advisor for Climate Resilience and Adaptation: Krystal Laymon
    • Senior Advisor for Clean Energy Infrastructure: Robert Golden
    • Senior Advisor for Climate Policy: Nick Conger
    • Senior Director for Industrial Emissions: Trisha Miller
    • Senior Director for Transportation Emissions: Austin Brown
    • Senior Director for Land, Water, and Agriculture: Melinda Cep

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "Biden Unveils His Climate Team, Promising To Fight 'With The Urgency It Demands'". NPR.org. Retrieved December 19, 2020.
  2. ^ "President-elect Biden Announces Key Members of His Climate Team". President-Elect Joe Biden. December 18, 2020. Retrieved December 19, 2020.
  3. ^ "Biden To Name Gina McCarthy, Former EPA Chief, As Domestic Climate Coordinator". NPR.org. Retrieved December 16, 2020.
  4. ^ Garcia, Catherine (December 15, 2020). "Reports: Biden chooses former EPA head Gina McCarthy as White House climate czar". The Week. Retrieved December 16, 2020.
  5. ^ Eilperin, Juliet; Dennis, Brady. "Biden picks former EPA chief Gina McCarthy as White House climate czar". Washington Post. ISSN 0190-8286. Retrieved December 16, 2020.
  6. ^ "Biden taps former EPA chief for White House climate coordinator role -sources". Reuters. December 15, 2020. Retrieved December 16, 2020.
  7. ^ Merica, Dan; Sullivan, Kate (December 15, 2020). "Biden to name Gina McCarthy to top domestic climate job". CNN. Retrieved December 17, 2020.
  8. ^ whitehouse.gov: President Biden Announces Senior Clean Energy and Climate Team
  9. ^ "Biden unveils new WH climate team ahead of McCarthy's departure". ny1.com. Retrieved September 12, 2023.
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