Former US climate envoy John Kerry has expressed confidence that the United States will eventually return to a leading role in global climate action, arguing that the country's clean energy transition is continuing despite the Trump administration's withdrawal from international climate cooperation.
Speaking at the COP31 climate summit in Antalya on Tuesday, Kerry criticised the administration's efforts to roll back environmental protections, promote fossil fuels and undermine renewable energy.
He said the federal government's political direction did not reflect the broader momentum for clean energy across the United States.
“We will build and rebuild our partnerships,” Kerry said, expressing hope that the US would re-engage with international climate efforts in the future.
Kerry, who served as US secretary of state under former president Barack Obama and as President Joe Biden's special presidential envoy for climate, signed the Paris Agreement on behalf of the United States in 2016.
The US withdrawal from the Paris Agreement took effect on January 27, 2026, marking another retreat by the world's largest historical emitter from international climate cooperation.
However, Kerry said state and local governments, as well as private businesses, were continuing to invest in clean energy, creating jobs and generating economic benefits across political boundaries.
He noted that renewable energy and other low-carbon technologies were attracting investment in both Republican- and Democratic-led states.
Speaking to journalists on the sidelines of the summit, Kerry also urged climate advocates to change how they communicate the urgency of climate action.
“I think everybody who is working on climate needs to change the way they talk about it,” he said.
He argued that climate change should not be presented solely as an environmental or scientific issue. Instead, advocates should highlight its implications for employment, public health, national security, food supplies and community stability.
Kerry also took part in an energy transition discussion with former US vice-president Al Gore on Tuesday, highlighting the need to reduce dependence on fossil fuels and expand investment in clean energy.
He stressed that electrification alone would not guarantee emissions reductions, noting that its climate benefits would depend on how electricity was generated.
If rising electricity demand continued to be met by coal and natural gas, electrification could fail to deliver the expected emissions reductions, he cautioned.
His remarks came as United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres urged world leaders to accelerate the transition away from fossil fuels.
Addressing leaders at COP31 on Wednesday, Guterres challenged the influence of fossil fuel interests in climate policymaking.
“Fossil fuels must go the way of the dinosaurs,” he said. “The dinosaurs did not have a lobby. Fossil fuels do.”
Guterres called for a “climate justice compact” to strengthen international cooperation, mobilise climate finance and protect communities facing the worst effects of global warming.
He also proposed taxing the windfall profits of major oil companies to help finance support for countries suffering climate-related losses and damage.
The proposal reflects growing frustration among climate-vulnerable countries over the gap between international commitments and the financial support reaching communities most exposed to climate change.
For developing countries such as Bangladesh, predictable climate financing is essential to protect coastal communities, agricultural livelihoods, infrastructure and public health.
At COP28 in Dubai in 2023, countries agreed to transition away from fossil fuels in energy systems in a just, orderly and equitable manner. However, translating that commitment into national policies, investment and measurable emissions reductions remains a major challenge.
Countries continue to differ over the pace of the transition, the role of natural gas and the financial responsibilities of developed and developing economies.
Kerry's remarks at COP31 highlighted how climate leadership may extend beyond national governments to businesses, local authorities, investors and civil society. His expectation of renewed US engagement offered a note of optimism, even as negotiations continue over climate finance and stronger action to reduce emissions.
This story was produced as part of the COP31 Climate Change Media Partnership, a journalism fellowship organised by Internews' Earth Journalism Network, Informed Earth and the Stanley Center for Peace and Security.