The White House announced on Friday that national climate advisor Gina McCarthy would step down on September 16, weeks after President Joe Biden signed landmark legislation to tackle climate change.
McCarthy will be followed by Ali Zaidi, McCarthy’s current White House assistant. Mr. Biden has also appointed the former chief of staff of the White House, John Podesta, as his senior advisor on the invention and implementation of renewable energy.
Podesta will be responsible for executing the new climate law, which aims, among other things, to reduce the cost of sustainable energy. It spends over $400 billion in energy security and climate change initiatives and would contribute to a 40% reduction in carbon emissions by 2030.
The law includes $9 billion in consumer home energy rebate programs, a $4,000 consumer tax credit for the purchase of used electric vehicles and a $7,500 tax credit for the purchase of new clean vehicles, both of which are only available to lower- and middle-income individuals. These incentives are intended to encourage consumers to purchase technologies that reduce emissions and energy prices.
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In addition, the law invests $30 billion in production tax credits to accelerate U.S. production of solar panels, wind turbines, batteries, and critical minerals; $10 billion in tax credits to build clean technology manufacturing facilities, such as those that produce electric vehicles and solar panels; and $500 million through the Defense Production Act for heat pumps and critical minerals.
For rural regions, the plan allocates over $20 billion for “climate-smart agricultural practices,” funding for fire-resistant forests, forest conservation, and urban tree planting, and $2.6 billion for the protection and restoration of coastal ecosystems. In addition, it charges oil and gas corporations up to $1,500 per metric ton for methane emissions and reinstates oil and gas lease auctions in the Gulf of Mexico and Alaska.
Podesta will lead the president’s task group on climate change, while Zaidi will serve as vice chair.
In a statement, Mr. Biden lauded McCarthy and Zaidi for their contributions to the climate legislation, describing it as “the greatest stride forward in the history of clean energy and climate.” He noted that it “paves the way for other initiatives we will take to achieve our clean energy and climate objectives.” McCarthy has been a “valued member” of his senior staff from the beginning of his administration, according to him.
He also congratulated Podesta, the founder of the liberal think tank Center for American Progress, on his new position, stating, “His deep roots in climate and clean energy policy and his experience at senior levels of government mean we can truly hit the ground running to take advantage of the enormous clean energy opportunity before us.
“I am very appreciative of Gina’s contribution, and I am delighted to announce Ali’s advancement to National Climate Advisor. Gina has been an indispensable part of my senior staff from the first day of my administration, and I wish her the best in her future endeavors.”
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