Lucas: Ex-climate czar Kerry working the knight shift
**Sir John Kerry: A New Title for an Old Climate Advocate**
John Kerry, the former U.S. Secretary of State and a prominent figure in climate advocacy, has recently been awarded an honorary knighthood by King Charles III for his significant contributions to environmental sustainability. This accolade, bestowed during a ceremony at Buckingham Palace, recognizes Kerry’s role as President Joe Biden’s Climate Czar, where he championed various initiatives aimed at combating climate change. At 81 years old, Kerry joins the ranks of distinguished individuals who have received the title of Knight Commander of the Order of St. Michael and St. George, a prestigious British honor dating back to the Napoleonic Wars. While he may not have been granted a more elevated title such as duke or earl, the honorary knighthood is a testament to his lifelong dedication to environmental causes.
Despite his new title, Kerry’s journey has not been without controversy. Critics have pointed out the irony in his environmental advocacy while frequently traveling by private jet, a practice he defended by stating that it was necessary for someone in his position to effectively engage in climate discussions. This has led to a mixed perception of his commitment to the cause, especially given the stark contrasts in climate policy between his tenure and that of former President Donald Trump, who dismantled many of Kerry’s initiatives, including the U.S. withdrawal from the Paris Agreement. Kerry’s responses to climate change, emphasizing the urgency of the crisis, highlight the ongoing debate surrounding environmental policy and the responsibilities of those in power.
As Kerry embraces his new title of “Sir John,” he steps into a role that transcends his previous identity as a politician and climate advocate. The honorary knighthood not only elevates his status but also symbolizes a broader recognition of the urgency surrounding climate action. While progressives may celebrate this achievement, it remains to be seen how Kerry will navigate the complexities of climate advocacy in a world still grappling with political divisions and environmental challenges. As he continues to champion sustainability, the question remains: will his efforts lead to meaningful change, or will they become another chapter in the ongoing narrative of climate discourse?
Sir John.
It has a ring to it.
It is what we one-time ink-stained wretches in the newspaper business will be calling John Kerry these days. Sir John.
Which is not to be confused with Sir Elton John or any other John — or Jane — who has been named Knight Commander of the order of St. Michael and St. George since the British award was created around the time of the Napoleonic wars.
Kerry will be called that because Massachusetts’ less than favorite son received an honorary knighthood a week ago by King Charles III for Sir John’s contribution to saving the planet as Joe Biden’s Climate Czar.
“King Charles and I share the same point of view that there’s an urgency to doing things,” the modest Kerry said.
Charles bestowed the honor on Kerry, 81, a former senator, presidential candidate and Secretary of State at a Buckingham Palace ceremony.
It was only through oversight that he did not name Sir John a Knight of the Order of Martha’s Vineyard and Nantucket as well.
And while King Charles did not make Kerry a duke, an earl, a marquess, viscount or a baron, the knighthood was royal stuff enough.
Besides, progressives will not be putting up “No Knights” signs on their front lawns to protest the appointment.
And to be clear, the “No Kings“ signs they do have in front of their homes refer to Donald Trump, who is not a king, and not King Charles III, who is.
Charles, you see, is their kind of king.
This worldly Kerry accomplishment — and recognition by the British monarch — came about after Kerry stepped down as President Joe Biden’s green energy guru.
This development meant that Sir John no longer jets around the world at taxpayers’ expense polluting the air and lecturing people about the end of the world while attending various climate change conferences in Switzerland with other jet-setting air polluters.
It is the way Kerry rolls — or flies.
In 2019, for instance, Kerry, rather than flying commercial, took a private plane to Iceland to accept an environmental award.
Questioned by a reporter, Kerry said flying by private plane was “the only choice for someone like me to win this (climate change) battle.”
“I can’t sail across the ocean. I have to fly to meet people and get things done.”
Most of Kerry’s climate change initiatives have been dismantled by President Donald Trump anyway. Trump calls the Green New Deal a “scam” and “a con job.”
These include taking the U.S. out of the 2015 Paris climate change accord, dismantling wind and energy initiatives, loosening EPA regulations, reopening the sea and federal lands to drilling, and so on.
Sir John said Trump was full of it. “Places are getting destroyed by more intense storms. People… are wandering the earth to look for a place to live because of extreme heat which is claiming lives.”
Trump could respond by saying the only person wandering the earth was Sir John, and he was doing so flying first class, in a private plane or in a government jet paid for by the taxpayers.
Or Trump could say that most of those people wandering the earth are illegal immigrants who crossed into the country through Biden’s open borders policy that Sir John and the Democrats supported.
The bottom line is that Sir John knows how to rule royally, like when he by fiat refused the request from peasant reporters and lowly members of Congress to release the names of the people he employed, or how he traveled when he was climate czar.
Now that he is Sir John, even honorarily, he doesn’t have to. He has slipped the coils of ordinary life among the un-titled. Sainthood is next.
Just don’t call him Kerry anymore.
He is Sir John to you.
Veteran political reporter Peter Lucas can be reached at: peter.lucas@bostonherald.com
John Kerry, former US Secretary of State and Co-Executive Chairman of climate focused investment firm, Galvanize, SMI chief executive Jennifer Jordan-Saifi, King Charles III and Brian Moynihan, Chief Executive Officer, Bank of America attend the Sustainable Markets Initiative Terra Carta Exhibition and Reception, at Hampton Court Palace Palace in March in London, England. (Photo by Yui Mok-WPA Pool/Getty Images)
