The White House
Washington DC
9 February 2022

Remarks by President Biden at a Roundtable with CEOs of Electric Utilities to Discuss His Build Back Better Agenda

State Dining Room: “I asked the question for a selfish reason. Because when I said -- this is going to generate jobs well beyond your site. And -- and so, there are going to be people manufacturing those battery storage facilities. People man- -- I mean -- so I mean, this has such a ripple effect that -- God willing. And what's going to happen is, I predict -- you know, right now, in some cases, China is ahead of us, but I think we're going to end up having a significant export market as well that's going to create thousands of good-paying jobs here in the United States. It's going to be in our interests to have this, you know, move around the world.”

United States Department of State
Washington DC
9 February 2022

Designation of Under Secretary for Management John R. Bass as Chief Sustainability Officer

Antony J. Blinken, Secretary of State

With a footprint in nearly every country, the Department of State has seen firsthand the impacts of a changing climate on our operations.  From drought to worsening air quality, the climate crisis has not only had implications for our personnel and their families, but also our host country partners around the world.  The years ahead will be critical to slowing the pace of global temperature rise and preventing the worst impacts of climate change.  The Department of State is mobilizing on all fronts to tackle the climate crisis, including changing the way we operate at home and abroad to curb emissions, improve sustainability, and adapt to climate hazards.

There has never been a more urgent moment.  That is why I have designated Under Secretary for Management John R. Bass as the Department’s Chief Sustainability Officer.  In this role, he will lead the Department’s efforts to advance the rigorous federal climate and sustainability ambitions and priorities set by the Administration under Executive orders 14008 and 14057.

Under Secretary Bass will set the vision for and oversee implementation of the Department’s sustainability, adaptation, and resilience goals. He will be supported by the Deputy Chief Sustainability Officer who leads the Greening Diplomacy Initiative within the Office of Management Strategy and Solutions, as well as the Climate and Sustainability Working Group comprising multiple Department bureaus and offices.

The Department is building on more than a decade of climate actions that have curbed emissions, enhanced climate adaptation, and made our operations more sustainable.  We are proud to be the premier federal agency in terms of harnessing renewable energy in our domestic operations and are working to electrify our fleet at home and abroad.  Our embassies and consulates are built to be U.S. Green Building Council Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Silver certified or better, so we can ensure our facilities are resilient and highlight innovative U.S. technologies.  We are also advancing sustainability and resilience in our overseas operations through actions like installing rainwater harvesting systems in drought-stricken areas and installing on-site renewable energy. There is a lot more to be done, however.  I have full confidence that Under Secretary Bass will take our efforts to the next level and demonstrate the Department’s full commitment to leading by example in tackling the climate crisis.

Biography

John Bass was confirmed by the U.S. Senate on December 17, 2021, as the Under Secretary for Management. A career Senior Foreign Service officer, he served as Senior Advisor at the Foreign Service Institute from 2020-2021, U.S. Ambassador to Afghanistan 2017-2020, U.S. Ambassador to Turkey from 2014 to 2017, Executive Secretary of the State Department from 2012 to 2014, and U.S. Ambassador to Georgia from 2009 to 2012. He began his diplomatic career in 1988 and has also served in positions in U.S. missions in Iraq, Italy, Belgium, and Chad. In Washington, Ambassador Bass’s assignments have included service on Vice President Cheney’s staff, as Chief of Staff and advisor to Deputy Secretary of State Strobe Talbott, as Director of the State Department’s Operations Center and in several assignments focused on European security issues. He has received numerous State Department performance awards. The son of a public servant and a U.S. Air Force officer, Bass was born and raised in upstate New York. A graduate of Syracuse University, he speaks Italian and French. He is married to U.S. diplomat Holly Holzer Bass.

Ministry of Transport of the Republic of Cuba (MINTRANS): Before 2030, MINTRANS plans for 45% of the total number of vehicles owned by Republic of Cuba government-operated companies will be electric vehicles. A goal is to introduce more than 56,000 electric vehicles of which about 36,000 will be imported while 17,000 will be retrofitted from existing combustion engine vehicles. A goal is to install 38,000 charging stations throughout the country with 16,000 fast charging stations and the remainder slow or semi-fast charging stations. An additional 2,000 slow and fast charging stations will in public places while 180 50KV fast charging stations will be located to supply public services. The first Cuban company to utilize electric vehicles in the Republic of Cuba was Republic of Cuba government-operated Aguas de la Habana. The company operates a twenty-two Nissan e-NV200 vehicles. LINK To YouTube Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uNhxN0aevXc