U.S. Special Presidential Envoy for Climate, John Kerry, faced heavy criticism on social media over the weekend as critics accused him of undermining the agriculture industry in pursuit of “net zero” emissions.
At a climate change summit in May, Kerry stated that agriculture contributes approximately 33% of global emissions, making it a crucial aspect of achieving net-zero goals. He emphasized the need to address emissions from the food system to effectively combat climate change.
The clip of his remarks resurfaced on Twitter, triggering a fresh wave of backlash against the Biden administration’s top climate envoy. Republican lawmakers, including Rep. Mary Miller of Illinois and Sen. Ted Cruz, condemned Kerry’s statements as an “attack on American farmers” and accused Democrats of wanting to bankrupt farmers.
GOP Rep. Chip Roy of Texas even introduced legislation to defund Kerry, expressing frustration with Republicans who don’t stand up for freedom in the face of such assaults.
In May, two dozen Republicans signed a letter urging President Biden and Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack to disavow Kerry’s comments, citing them as a “blatant slap in the face” to hardworking farmers who sustainably produce the world’s food, fuel, and fiber.
According to a March 2021 study published in the Nature Food journal, the global food system, including land-use change, agricultural production, packaging, and waste management, generates about 18 billion tons of carbon dioxide annually, equivalent to 34% of worldwide emissions. In contrast, agriculture in the U.S. contributes around 10% of total greenhouse gas emissions, as per federal data.
A State Department spokesperson responded to the criticism, stating that Kerry aims to collaborate with farmers to reduce their climate emissions. Kerry acknowledges that American farmers are productive and efficient and already experiencing the impacts of extreme weather. The spokesperson highlighted Kerry’s focus on investing in technical and financial assistance, deploying innovative technologies, and providing other tools to enhance farmers’ resilience to climate impacts while reducing greenhouse gas pollution.
During the AIM for Climate summit, Kerry applauded the progress in global investments for climate-smart agricultural innovation, unlocking $13 billion to support farmers and ranchers in addressing climate-related challenges and costs.