Gina McCarthy, the main climate advisor to President Joe Biden, has announced her resignation and will vacate the White House on September 16.
McCarthy, 68, will leave her job and be replaced by Ali Zaidi, the deputy national climate advisor, according to a statement from the White House. McCarthy assisted the president in developing executive measures on climate issues throughout her term in office and contributed to the creation of the administration’s bold plans to phase out fossil fuels.
“Under Gina McCarthy and Ali Zaidi’s leadership, my administration has taken the most aggressive action ever, from historic legislation to bold executive actions, to confront the climate crisis head-on. The Inflation Reduction Act is the biggest step forward on clean energy and climate in history, and it paves the way for additional steps we will take to meet our clean energy and climate goals,” the statement quotes Biden as saying of her leaving.
McCarthy’s intention to leave has been speculated for months since she was worn out from regular travel and did not initially expect to serve for the president’s whole term.
According to the statement, McCarthy, who managed the Environmental Protection Agency for four years under the Obama administration, contributed to the development of the Democrats’ $369 billion climate spending package. Both green energy infrastructure and programs for environmental justice are heavily funded under the measure.
As reported by the NYT, McCarthy predicted that the climate measure would spark dramatic change. According to the White House, she focused climate policy on fostering high-paying union employment and advancing the vital cause of environmental justice.
What McCarthy will do after leaving the White House as expected is uncertain. Before entering the Biden administration, McCarthy worked as the director and board chair of the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health’s Center for Climate, Health, and the Global Environment.
