Secretary of State John Kerry said Sunday he does not believe that “the American people, who predominantly do believe in what is happening with climate change,” will elect a president who does not “understand climate change” or is not committed to the type of global agreement reached in Paris.
“I think, frankly, a lot of members of Congress are on the wrong side of history, and I don’t believe you can be elected president of the United States if you don’t understand climate change and you’re not committed to this kind of a plan,” Kerry told ABC’s “This Week” from Paris, where delegates at the weekend approved a new global climate accord.
Host George Stephanopoulos noted that Republican presidential candidates have “vowed to undo the president’s [climate-related] executive actions.”
“Well, I think it’s irrelevant,” Kerry said, in a comment barely audible on the video clip but reflected in the State Department transcript.
“So if President Obama’s successor is against it, will it unravel?” Stephanopoulos asked.