A government watchdog group, Protect the Public’s Trust (PPT), has filed an ethics complaint against Special Presidential Envoy for Climate John Kerry, accusing him of disseminating misinformation regarding the impact of climate change. The complaint centers around Kerry's statement in May that greenhouse gas emissions cause 15 million deaths annually worldwide, a figure PPT argues significantly inflates the actual impact.

Kerry made the remark during the Department of Agriculture's AIM for Climate Summit, stating, "15 million people are dying every single year… as a consequence of greenhouse gas emissions… which… is warming the ocean at record rates, changing the chemistry of the ocean itself." He further emphasized the urgency of addressing climate change, warning of the risks to "millions of lives and the livelihood of the planet."

PPT's complaint, submitted to the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy and the State Department's Office of Inspector General, contends that Kerry's statement contradicts available scientific data. The complaint cites studies projecting far lower death tolls related to climate change, including a projection of 3.4 million deaths by 2100 due to increased wildfires, heatwaves, and mosquito-borne diseases, according to data presented at the United Nations climate summit. A 2021 Harvard study attributed over 8 million annual deaths to fossil fuel emissions, while the Global Burden of Disease Study linked 4.2 million annual deaths to outdoor air pollution.

PPT argues that Kerry's statement not only lacks scientific backing but also violates federal scientific integrity policies, which mandate accuracy in communicating scientific information. They point to President Biden's 2021 memo emphasizing evidence-based decisions, the OSTP's framework highlighting the importance of scientific accuracy in public communications, and the State Department's own policy requiring information shared by officials to reflect established scientific processes.

PPT Director Michael Chamberlain criticized Kerry's statement as "a hysterical pronouncement" designed to instill fear and advance a political agenda. He argued that such pronouncements erode public trust in scientific and governmental institutions, contradicting the Biden administration’s promises of transparency and reliance on scientific integrity.

Kerry's office has not yet responded to requests for comment on the complaint.