John
Podesta

Founder, Chair of the Board

John Podesta is the founder and the chairman of the board of directors of the Center for American Progress. He served as senior adviser to President Joe Biden for clean energy innovation and implementation. Podesta also served as counselor to President Barack Obama, where he was responsible for coordinating the administration’s climate policy and initiatives. In 2008, he served as co-chair of President Obama’s transition team. He was a member of the U.N. Secretary General’s High-Level Panel of Eminent Persons on the Post-2015 Development Agenda. Podesta previously served as White House chief of staff to President William J. Clinton. He chaired Hillary Clinton’s campaign for president in 2016.

Latest

Compact View

Official COP28 Side Event: Trade in a Climate-Constrained World: Adding Value From U.S. Manufacturing to Indian Entrepreneurship Past Event

Official COP28 Side Event: Trade in a Climate-Constrained World: Adding Value From U.S. Manufacturing to Indian Entrepreneurship

The Center for American Progress, the Shakti Sustainable Energy Foundation, and Development Alternatives are excited to host this official UNFCCC COP28 side event in Dubai.

Blue Zone, SE Room 6, Dubai, UAE

Keynote Remarks Upcoming Session

Keynote Remarks

John Podesta, Senior Advisor to President Biden for Clean Energy Innovation and Implementation, will be delivering keynote remarks.

A green salvo to counter Putin’s war in Ukraine In the News

A green salvo to counter Putin’s war in Ukraine

John Podesta and Julian Popov discuss why—and how—the European Union and United States must transition to a clean energy economy in order to cut off funding to Russia via fossil fuels.

Politico Europe

Julian Popov, John Podesta

We once backed using the filibuster. Now it must be reformed. In the News

We once backed using the filibuster. Now it must be reformed.

John Podesta and Wade Henderson explain why the exceptions to the filibuster must be expanded—at a minimum—to allow for the protection of voting rights.

The Washington Post

John Podesta, Wade Henderson

Revamping Federal Climate Science Report
 (An iceberg is seen on the Weddell Sea near the Antarctic Peninsula on February 1, 2020.)

Revamping Federal Climate Science

The urgency of the climate crisis requires day one executive action to restore scientific integrity and rebuild the federal climate science apparatus.

John Podesta, Bidisha Bhattacharyya, Bianca Majumder

The country needs the House’s oversight now more than ever In the News

The country needs the House’s oversight now more than ever

With the close of the impeachment trial, John Podesta makes the case that House Democrats must continue to shed light on President Donald Trump's corruption and deter further damage to U.S. democratic institutions.

The Washington Post

John Podesta

Trump’s chilling contempt for future generations In the News

Trump’s chilling contempt for future generations

John Podesta writes that the Trump administration's attack on U.S. national monuments would cause damage to cultural artifacts and to the local economies that depend on protected public lands.

The Washington Post

John Podesta

Battling Climate Change in the Time of Trump Report

Battling Climate Change in the Time of Trump

The Trump administration has caused nothing but despair for most people anxious about climate change, but there is an alternative path for making progress that could also help to keep this nightmare short lived.

John Podesta

Karzai risks much in his latest manufactured crisis In the News

Karzai risks much in his latest manufactured crisis

Karzai’s recklessness may undermine Afghanistan’s political transition, which has long been cited as the primary determinant of a peaceful future for Afghans.

The Washington Post

John Podesta, Tom Perriello, Caroline Wadhams

America needs more national parks In the News

America needs more national parks

John Podesta writes that America’s parks are a national treasure and a crucial economic engine for many parts of the country.

Politico

John Podesta

Preparing for the Upcoming Afghan Political Transition Article
Afghan President Hamid Karzai speaks at a press conference during a ceremony at a military academy on the outskirts of Kabul, Afghanistan, Tuesday, June 18, 2013. (AP/Rahmat Gul)

Preparing for the Upcoming Afghan Political Transition

The United States and its partners must continue to focus on Afghanistan’s upcoming presidential election and political transition despite the world’s focus on the conflict in Syria.

Caroline Wadhams, John Podesta

John Podesta on the U.N. Post-2015 Development Agenda Video

John Podesta on the U.N. Post-2015 Development Agenda

In this video, Center for American Progress Chair John Podesta, who served on the U.N. High-Level Panel, discusses the panel's recommendations to eradicate poverty and transform world economies through sustainable development.

John Podesta

The Millennium Development Goals Are Working In the News

The Millennium Development Goals Are Working

John Podesta writes about how the Millenium Development Goals are working and how we will continue to pursue the achievement of them.

Foreign Policy

John Podesta

Reforming Our Tax System, Reducing Our Deficit Report
In order to secure our fiscal future and achieve meaningful deficit reduction over the next 10 years, we need a plan that combines progressive, revenue-enhancing tax reform with pragmatic spending cuts that do not undermine the middle class, the poor, or seniors. (AP/J. Scott Applewhite)

Reforming Our Tax System, Reducing Our Deficit

In order to secure our fiscal future and achieve meaningful deficit reduction over the next 10 years, we need a plan that combines progressive, revenue-enhancing tax reform with pragmatic spending cuts that do not undermine the middle class, the poor, or seniors.

Roger Altman, William Daley, John Podesta, 8 More Robert Rubin, Leslie Samuels, Lawrence H. Summers, Neera Tanden, Antonio Weiss, Michael Ettlinger, Seth Hanlon, Michael Linden

Protecting Romanian Democracy Article
Romanian Prime Minister Victor Ponta gestures before a parliament session in Bucharest, Romania.
<br /> (AP/Vadim Ghirda)

Protecting Romanian Democracy

John Podesta and Matt Browne explain the machinations of a beleaguered president trying to avoid impeachment.

John Podesta, Matt Browne

We Don’t Need More Foreign Oil and Gas In the News

We Don’t Need More Foreign Oil and Gas

Americans missed the big picture on the president's decision not to approve the Keystone pipeline, write Tom Steyer and John Podesta in the Wall Street Journal.

The Wall Street Journal

Tom Steyer, John Podesta

Enough Already In the News

Enough Already

It's time to talk to the Taliban, say Stephen Hadley and John Podesta in Foreign Policy.

Foreign Policy

Stephen Hadley, John Podesta

Obama’s Government Reform Plan Article
President Barack Obama waves after delivering remarks on government reform on January 13, 2012, in the East Room of the White House in Washington. (AP/Haraz N. Ghanbari)

Obama’s Government Reform Plan

John D. Podesta applauds President Obama’s plan to reshape the federal government to boost U.S. economic competitiveness.

John Podesta

The Constitution Is Inherently Progressive Article

The Constitution Is Inherently Progressive

John Podesta and John Halpin on how the values in the Constitution are those that both progressives and conservatives should cherish and protect.

John Podesta, John Halpin

Afterword Article
William Jefferson

Afterword

Bill Clinton announced his run for the presidency 20 years ago this week. John D. Podesta totals up the progressive accomplishments of the 1990s, their costly reversal in the next decade, and the Obama administration’s efforts to get back on track.

John Podesta

What Former Afghan Leader Rabbani Knew About Pakistan and Peace In the News

What Former Afghan Leader Rabbani Knew About Pakistan and Peace

The United States must orient its strategy around facilitating a lasting settlement, rather than getting caught in a cycle of retribution against insurgents and Pakistan, write John Podesta and Caroline Wadhams.

The Washington Post

John Podesta, Caroline Wadhams

The Need for a Political and Economic Transition Strategy in Afghanistan Report

The Need for a Political and Economic Transition Strategy in Afghanistan

John Podesta, Brian Katulis, and Caroline Wadhams outline steps U.S. policymakers can take to promote a successful handover of responsibility to the Afghan government after U.S. troops withdraw.

John Podesta, Brian Katulis, Caroline Wadhams

How to Prepare Afghanistan for U.S. Withdrawal In the News

How to Prepare Afghanistan for U.S. Withdrawal

John Podesta, Brian Katulis, and Caroline Wadhams explain how the United States can help Afghanistan prepare for the withdrawal of U.S. troops in this Washington Post op-ed.

The Washington Post

John Podesta, Brian Katulis, Caroline Wadhams

Come Together on Education Reform In the News

Come Together on Education Reform

Bill Frist and John Podesta argue in Politico for Congress to come together and pass a reauthorized ESEA to give our children a better education.

Politico

John Podesta, Bill Frist

Key Pact in Global Warming Fight In the News

Key Pact in Global Warming Fight

John Podesta and Andrew Light discuss in Politico why the Cancun climate conference succeeded where the Copenhagen conference failed.

Politico

John Podesta, Andrew Light

New START: A Test Of GOP Seriousness Article
President Barack Obama, right, drops by a meeting hosted by Vice President Joe Biden, center, on New START in the Roosevelt Room at the White House in Washington, Thursday, November 18, 2010.
<br /> (AP/J. Scott Applewhite)

New START: A Test Of GOP Seriousness

John D. Podesta argues that it is time for a moment of clarity in the Senate as it considers whether to pass the New Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty this year.

John Podesta

The Case for Just Jobs Report
Ensuring the enforcement of labor standards and social protection helps create a more even playing field so that countries with lower levels of development than other countries cannot leverage poor labor standards as a competitive strategy. (AP/Rajesh Nirgude)

The Case for Just Jobs

Just jobs raise living standards for millions of people and serve as instruments for promoting global stability and security, write John Podesta and Sabina Dewan.

John Podesta, Sabina Dewan, Isha Vij

A Focus on Competitiveness Report
An American flag waves outside the U.S. Capitol Building in Washington, D.C. (AP/Manuel Balce Ceneta)

A Focus on Competitiveness

Report from John Podesta, Sarah Rosen Wartell, and Jitinder Kohli outlines a framework for making the United States more economically competitive.

John Podesta, Sarah Rosen Wartell, Jitinder Kohli

The Power of the President Report
A podium bears the seal of the President of the United States. (AP/J. Scott Applewhite)

The Power of the President

Recommendations to advance progressive change from the Center for American Progress and Senior Fellows, compiled by Sarah Rosen Wartell and with a forward from John Podesta.

Sarah Rosen Wartell, John Podesta

Taking on the Global Energy Investment Challenge Article
Governments can use policy measures alongside relatively small sums of public money to catalyze private sector participation to help developing countries finance their transition to a clean energy economy. (AP/Li Xing)

Taking on the Global Energy Investment Challenge

Our new report demonstrates the possible gains from clean energy investments in developing countries mobilized by public and private capital.

John Podesta, Richard W. Caperton, Andrew Light

Just Jobs Report
A Chinese factory worker mans the assembly line at DaimlerChrysler's first factory in Beijing. To have a well-functioning economy people need jobs that allow them to work in acceptable working conditions, with appropriate protections and compensation, and with the right to organize and bargain collectively. (AP/Elizabeth Dalziel)

Just Jobs

John Podesta and Sabina Dewan introduce Just Jobs, a new Center for American Progress program.

John Podesta, Sabina Dewan

Death by 1,000 Cuts In the News

Death by 1,000 Cuts

John Podesta writes in Politico that we need to get serious about our budget problem, but balancing the budget entirely through spending cuts is nearly impossible.

Politico

John Podesta

The Coming Food Crisis In the News

The Coming Food Crisis

Global food security is stretched to the breaking point, and Russia's fires and Pakistan's floods are only making a bad situation worse, write John Podesta and Jake Caldwell in Foreign Policy.

Foreign Policy

John Podesta, Jake Caldwell

Race to the Top Debate Article
President Barack Obama delivers the commencement address for Kalamazoo Central High School, the winner of the 2010 Race to the Top High School Commencement Challenge. (AP/Charles Dharapak)

Race to the Top Debate

The President and CEO of CAP weighs in on an important policy issue dividing progressives at CAP and in Congress.

John Podesta

The Dirty Truth About Tar Sands Article
Mining trucks carry loads of oil laden sand after being loaded by huge shovels at the Albian Sands oils sands project in Ft. McMurray, Alberta, Canada. (Ap/Jeff McIntosh)

The Dirty Truth About Tar Sands

John D. Podesta delivers the keynote speech for Canada 2020’s “‘Greening’ The Oil Sands: Debunking the Myths and Confronting the Realities” conference.

John Podesta

America Needs an Oil Reform Agenda Article
Vessels collect oil near the site of the Deepwater Horizon oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico on May 17, 2010. Americans are intently focused on the BP disaster and overwhelmingly favor solutions to reduce oil use. (AP/Charlie Riedel)

America Needs an Oil Reform Agenda

John Podesta and Daniel J. Weiss outline a strategy for getting started on a bold and direct response to reducing our oil use.

John Podesta, Daniel J. Weiss

The Need to Beat Our Oil Addiction Article

The Need to Beat Our Oil Addiction

The gulf oil spill shows why we need the administration and Congress to pass comprehensive energy and climate legislation that breaks our oil dependence, write John Podesta and Joseph Romm in Politico.

John Podesta, Joseph Romm

The Big Questions Report
President Barack Obama follows National Commission on Fiscal Responsibility and Reform co-chairs Erskine Bowles and Alan Simpson into the Diplomatic Reception Room at the White House where the president signed an executive order creating the bipartisan National Commission on Fiscal Responsibility and Reform. (AP/Charles Dharapak)

The Big Questions

John D. Podesta and Michael Ettlinger outline the six key questions the National Commission on Fiscal Responsibility and Reform must tackle.

John Podesta, Michael Ettlinger

History in the Making Article
Speaker Nancy Pelosi walks to the floor as the House prepares to vote on health care reform on Sunday, March 21, 2010. (AP/Alex Brandon)

History in the Making

John Podesta details why the House of Representatives' passage of health care reform is an overwhelming progressive victory.

John Podesta

Doing What Works Report
Spending programs delivered through tax expenditures should be subject to the same level of scrutiny as direct spending programs. We should make sure tax expenditures are efficiently delivering desired results. Tax expenditures that don’t work or are misguided should be scrapped—just the same as ineffective spending programs. (AP/Susan Walsh)

Doing What Works

A report by John D. Podesta and Reece Rushing stresses on the importance of transforming and modernizing government from top to bottom.

John Podesta, Reece Rushing

A Historic Reform Article
The U.S. Senate passes the health care overhaul bill on Thursday December 24, 2009 in this image made from video.
<br /> (AP/CSPAN)

A Historic Reform

Statement from John D. Podesta on Senate passage of historic health care reform legislation.

John Podesta

Cooperation Is the Key Report
U.S. and Chinese officials stand before the China Resources Golden Concord Co-Generation Plant at the Beijing Development Area in Beijing earlier this year. (AP/Andy Wong)

Cooperation Is the Key

A proposal from John D. Podesta, Andrew Light, and Julian L. Wong on U.S.-China collaboration on climate technology.

John Podesta, Andrew Light, Julian L. Wong

Increasing Competitiveness Through Clean Energy Article
A technical manager checks solar cells in the ErSol Solar Energy AG in Erfurt, Germany, which manufacturers and distributes solar photovoltaic products. Germany is a global frontrunner in the clean-energy transformation and its success is due to strong government financial support. The United States needs to keep up with its competitors who are seizing the clean-energy opportunity. (AP/Jens Meyer)

Increasing Competitiveness Through Clean Energy

CAP Action President John D. Podesta testifies before the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works on the Clean Energy Jobs and American Power Act.

John Podesta

The Interview with John Podesta Article

The Interview with John Podesta

John Podesta was President Clinton's last chief of staff at the White House. Now from the vantage point of heading the Democrat's favorite think tank, he is an informal advisor to President Barack Obama who is playing high stakes in trying to get his health care plans through. On The Interview Carrie Gracie gets John Podesta's inside view of the president's progress.

John Podesta

Toward a New Climate Network Article

Toward a New Climate Network

With the scientific community increasingly certain of the inevitability of climate change, European politicians across the ideological spectrum have reached broad consensus that the European Union must take action to avoid climate catastrophe.

John Podesta

John Podesta Receives Drinan Award Article

John Podesta Receives Drinan Award

CAP President and CEO John D. Podesta delivered remarks upon receiving the Drinan Award from Georgetown University's Law School last week.

John Podesta

A Pittsburgh Protocol Article
Pittsburgh, where the G-20 will meet this week, is seen across the Allegheney river. (AP/Gene J. Puskar)

A Pittsburgh Protocol

Rajendra Pachauri and John Podesta argue that the G-20 needs to advance the global agenda on climate change at this week's meeting in Pittsburgh.

The Clean-Energy Investment Agenda Report
Prime Minister David Cameron, left, speaks at the Clean Energy Ministerial meeting in London on Thursday, April 26, 2012, alongside U.K. Energy Secretary Edward Davey, U.S. Energy Secretary Steven Chu, U.K. Energy Minister Gregory Barker, and India's Deputy Chairman for the Planning Commission Montek Singh Ahluwalia. (Flickr/<a href=DECCgovuk)" data-srcset="https://www.americanprogress.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2012/05/global_clean_energy_onpage.jpg?w=610 610w, https://www.americanprogress.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2012/05/global_clean_energy_onpage.jpg?w=610 610w, https://www.americanprogress.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2012/05/global_clean_energy_onpage.jpg?w=610 610w, https://www.americanprogress.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2012/05/global_clean_energy_onpage.jpg?w=500 500w, https://www.americanprogress.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2012/05/global_clean_energy_onpage.jpg?w=250 250w" data-sizes="auto" />

The Clean-Energy Investment Agenda

Report from John Podesta, Kate Gordon, Bracken Hendricks, and Benjamin Goldstein puts forward a framework for investing in clean-energy systems and energy efficiency.

John Podesta, Kate Gordon, Bracken Hendricks, 1 More Benjamin Goldstein

End Dirty Tricks on Clean Energy Push Article

End Dirty Tricks on Clean Energy Push

John Podesta, Bracken Hendricks and Kate Gordon write for Politico about Glenn Beck and leading conservatives' attacks against former White House Council on Environmental Quality's Special Advisor for Green Jobs Van Jones.

John Podesta, Bracken Hendricks, Kate Gordon

Cap and Trade Will Reduce Global Warming and Create Jobs Article

Cap and Trade Will Reduce Global Warming and Create Jobs

On June 26, the House of Representatives passed comprehensive energy legislation that included, for the first time in U.S. history, a cap on global warming pollution. The bill, called the American Clean Energy and Security Act, would also boost investments in energy efficiency and renewable energy, like wind and solar, to jump-start the transition to a clean-energy economy. New investments in the clean-energy technologies of the future would slash global warming pollution and reduce the use of foreign oil while also creating jobs and increasing our economic competitiveness vis-à-vis China and other nations.

John Podesta

Unlocking Progress on Climate Change Article

Unlocking Progress on Climate Change

The landslide election of progressives to the White House and Congress last November has ushered in a new energy era in American politics. President Obama set the stage for this shift last year when he tied energy policy to economics on the campaign trail, promising to move away from fossil-fuel reliance towards clean sources of energy to promote economic growth and job creation.

John Podesta, Sarah Miller

Governments Need to Lead the Breakthrough on Technology Article
Delegates gather for an international symposium on worldwide environmental concerns, the Major Economies Forum on Energy and Climate, at the State Department in Washington on April 27, 2009. (AP/J. Scott Applewhite)

Governments Need to Lead the Breakthrough on Technology

John D. Podesta and Andrew Light discuss a new international report from CAP and the Global Climate Network on prospects for a global deal on clean technology transfer.

John Podesta, Andrew Light

The Green Bank Report
The Mountaineer Wind Energy Center on Backbone Mountain near Thomas, West Virginia. (AP/Dale Sparks)

The Green Bank

A memo from John D. Podesta and Karen Kornbluh proposes a new green bank to finance the transition to a low-carbon economy.

20 on the G20 Article

20 on the G20

The London Summit is an historic opportunity for developed and developing countries to begin to make a fundamental shift in the way they produce and use energy, writes John Podesta.

John Podesta

Role of the U.S. in the World Order Article

Role of the U.S. in the World Order

John D. Podesta speaks at the Sanderstolen Conference on Energy Policy in Norway about the need for U.S. leadership and action on climate change.

John Podesta

Progressivism’s Role in the Economy, Health Care, Education, and the Climate Article

Progressivism’s Role in the Economy, Health Care, Education, and the Climate

What’s the difference between liberalism and progressivism? According to John Podesta, it is the “fire of social justice” that is often born from faith or a belief in a communitarian approach to the common good—as opposed to an individualistic approach. It is, in short, the idea that the current generation can expect to do a little better than the last.

John Podesta

Too Much Secrecy Puts Our Nation at Risk Article

Too Much Secrecy Puts Our Nation at Risk

CAPAF's John D. Podesta outlines to the Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on the Constitution key recommendations for restoring the rule of law.

John Podesta

Green Recovery Report
Large windmills and solar panels in Atlantic City; the wind farm consists of five windmills that generate 7.5 megawatts, enough energy to power approximately 2,500 homes. (AP/Mel Evans)

Green Recovery

John D. Podesta unveils a new program to create good jobs and build a low-carbon economy.

John Podesta

NEEDED: Federal Action for Fair Funding of High-Poverty Schools Article

NEEDED: Federal Action for Fair Funding of High-Poverty Schools

The intense competition of the global economy demands that all of America’s young people receive the kind of education they need and deserve. Yet to make that happen, the United States must confront the fact that inequality continues to plague its public schools.

John Podesta, Cynthia G. Brown

Doing our part to feed the world Article

Doing our part to feed the world

The evidence is clear that our global agricultural system is broken and that in our interdependent world, food security is a challenge we must tackle together.

John Podesta

G8 Must Consider the Security Risks of Global Warming Article
Kashmiri protesters set up a road blockade during a protest earlier this month. Businesses, schools and roads were shut down due to a strike against the government's recent fuel price hike. (AP/Dar Yasin)

G8 Must Consider the Security Risks of Global Warming

The G8 cannot afford to turn a blind eye to the extreme security risks that climate change will pose to the international community, write John Podesta and Peter Ogden.

John Podesta, Pete Ogden

Long and Short of Oil Price Spike Article

Long and Short of Oil Price Spike

The high price of oil and gasoline is like the weather - everyone talks about it but no one does anything to fix it. That's certainly the case for the Bush administration. In 2006, President Bush said, "America is addicted to oil," yet his administration did nothing to reduce oil use. Had he acted in 2001, there would be millions more fuel-efficient cars on our roads today, cutting our oil use.

John Podesta

A War We Must End Article

A War We Must End

Despite the Democratic presidential candidates' expressed commitment to ending the war in Iraq, there is unease among the party's base. Some ardent activists have suggested that upon election, a new Democratic president will come under inordinate pressure to sustain the U.S. military commitment to Iraq, albeit with some modifications. This concern demonstrates both the difficulty of ending a controversial war and the necessity of doing so.

John Podesta, Ray Takeyh, Lawrence J. Korb

This field is hidden when viewing the form

Default Opt Ins

This field is hidden when viewing the form
This field is hidden when viewing the form
This field is hidden when viewing the form
This field is hidden when viewing the form
This field is hidden when viewing the form
This field is hidden when viewing the form
This field is hidden when viewing the form

Variable Opt Ins

This field is hidden when viewing the form
This field is hidden when viewing the form
This field is hidden when viewing the form
This field is hidden when viewing the form
This field is hidden when viewing the form
This field is hidden when viewing the form
This field is hidden when viewing the form
This field is hidden when viewing the form
This field is hidden when viewing the form
This field is hidden when viewing the form
This field is hidden when viewing the form
This field is hidden when viewing the form
This field is hidden when viewing the form
This field is hidden when viewing the form
This field is hidden when viewing the form
This field is hidden when viewing the form
This field is hidden when viewing the form
This field is hidden when viewing the form
This field is hidden when viewing the form

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.