ISLAMABAD: US President-elect Joe Biden on Thursday appointed Pakistan-born Ali Zaidi as his deputy national climate adviser.
Zaidi currently serves as deputy secretary to the New York governor for energy and environment and leads the state’s efforts in addressing climate change. He is an adjunct professor at Stanford University.
"A longtime advisor to President-elect Biden on climate matters, Zaidi brings the cross-sector and multi-disciplinary experience needed to deliver a whole-of-government response to the climate crisis," Biden's team said in a statement.
Under the Obama-Biden administration in 2009-2017, Zaidi helped draft Climate Action Plan and negotiate the Paris Climate Agreement.
In a Twitter post, he said he was "profoundly humbled" and "deeply honored" by the appointment and vowed " a whole-of-government approach" to take on the climate crisis.
We need a whole-of-government approach to take on the climate crisis — in a way that spurs jobs and advances justice. I was floored when President-elect @JoeBiden called. I still am — profoundly humbled, deeply honored, and so ready to get to work!
— Ali A. Zaidi (@ali_a_zaidi) December 18, 2020
Zaidi grew up in Pennsylvania and studied at Harvard and Georgetown Universities.
