Former secretary of state and United States' special climate envoy, John Kerry, is set to depart from the Biden administration later this winter to focus on aiding President Joe Biden's re-election campaign, according to Kerry's office. The announcement, made after a conversation between Kerry and Biden, was initially reported by Axios, a reputable politics news outlet.

Kerry, who played a key role in brokering the 2015 Paris climate agreement and the recent UAE consensus on transitioning away from fossil fuels at Cop28 in Dubai, believes that securing a second term for Biden would be pivotal in combating the climate crisis. Axios, citing a source familiar with the administration, stated that Kerry views a re-elected Biden as the "single biggest" opportunity for progress on this front.

Following his participation in the Cop28 global climate summit in Dubai late last year, Kerry engaged in a discussion with Biden in the Oval Office earlier this week. Desiring to promote the president's climate action, Kerry aims to assume a significant role on the campaign trail during the upcoming 2024 election, as reported by Axios.

Kerry was appointed as a special envoy on the climate crisis shortly after Biden's victory over Donald Trump in the 2020 presidential election. During the transition period in November, the Biden transition team expressed that Kerry would dedicate himself full-time to combating climate change, an unprecedented commitment that included a position on the national security council, highlighting the administration's emphasis on addressing the climate crisis and global warming.

As secretary of state under President Barack Obama, succeeding Hillary Clinton, Kerry played a prominent role in the international efforts to formulate the Paris climate agreement. This pivotal agreement aimed to reduce greenhouse gas emissions with the purpose of averting severe storms, heatwaves, floods, and other imminent climate risks.

After leaving government in January 2017 when the Trump administration took over, Kerry vociferously criticized President Trump's dismantling of climate policies and the withdrawal of the United States from the Paris agreement. Upon assuming office in 2021, President Biden swiftly re-entered the international accord.

Kerry, a decorated Vietnam veteran, also ran for president in the 2004 election. Despite securing the Democratic nomination, he was ultimately defeated by Republican incumbent George W. Bush. Kerry's campaign faced intense opposition from a pro-Bush group known as Swift Boat Veterans for Truth, which launched a smear campaign questioning his military record and anti-war advocacy.

Interestingly, one of the key orchestrators behind the "swift-boating" of Kerry, Republican strategist Chris LaCivita, now holds a senior position within the Trump re-election campaign.

John Kerry's transition from the Biden administration to actively supporting the president's re-election campaign underlines the crucial role he envisions in tackling the climate crisis. With a wealth of experience and a reputation as a key player in international climate negotiations, Kerry's involvement on the campaign trail could significantly shape the conversation on addressing climate change in the years to come.