On November 5, 2008, Browner was named to the advisory board of the Obama-Biden Transition Project.

On December 15, 2008, President-elect Barack Obama named Browner as Assistant to the President for Energy and Climate Change.
 Officially known as the Director of the White House Office of Energy and Climate Change Policy, she acted as a coordinator for environmental, energy, climate, transport and related matters for the federal government.
 Her position was sometimes informally described as the "Energy Czar" or the "Climate Czar".
 (The form "Czarina" was sometimes also used.)
 It did not require Senate confirmation.
Her participation on the Commission for a Sustainable World Society drew criticism from some Republican members of Congress, but the Obama transition team said there was nothing wrong with it.
In any case, her power and influence relied primarily on persuasion: "I don't have any independent policymaking authority.
It's not like when I was at EPA and I could depend on regulation."

Browner's deputy assistant was Heather Zichal, a former legislative director for Senator John Kerry.

The early months of the Obama administration found her working well with the Cabinet members.
 She was a key negotiator between the administration and automakers in formulating the new United States emission standards in May 2009, and also was a member of the Presidential Task Force on the Auto Industry that bailed out American automakers.
 She successfully urged incorporation of tens of billions of dollars for renewable energy programs into the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009.
 She was a central player in negotiation with Congress of the United States Carbon Cap and Trade Program, seemingly more so than U.S. Energy Secretary Steven Chu, and continued to stress its importance despite the Obama health care plan being the top legislative priority overall.
 Environmentalists viewed her as a critical liaison to the White House.
 By September 2009, Republican members of Congress expressed concern that her access to the president had usurped power from other agencies.
 She also became a brief target of fervent anti-"czar" radio and television commentator Glenn Beck, following the Van Jones resignation.

In October 2009, Browner conceded that congressional passage of the cap-and-trade legislation before the end of year was unlikely, and feared its absence would harm prospects for meaningful international agreement at the Copenhagen United Nations Climate Change Conference in December.
 By the next month, she moderated her concern, but expressed opposition to any congressional "slicing and dicing" that would separate energy and climate concerns.
 Attempts to pass any kind of climate legislation collapsed in July 2010 due to lack of enough votes in the Senate; Browner appeared on behalf of the administration and said, "Obviously, everyone is disappointed that we do not yet have an agreement on comprehensive legislation."
 At other times she became philosophical, later saying that she would quote the key lines from one of The Rolling Stones' most well-known songs to Obama: "You can't always get what you want, but you get what you need."

In 2010, Browner became a key part of the administration team handling, and one of the more visible administration figures in issuing public comments about, the BP Deepwater Horizon oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico.
 In late May 2010 she assessed the spill as "probably the biggest environmental disaster we have ever faced in this country" and said that the administration was "prepared for the worst".
 She added that "I think what the American people need to know that it is possible we will have oil leaking from this well until August, when the relief wells will be finished."
 Mike Allen of Politico later wrote that "[Browner's] calm, authoritative television presence during the BP oil disaster made her one of the few officials whose stature was enhanced in the aftermath of the Gulf catastrophe."

With Republicans taking over the House of Representatives following the 2010 midterm elections, chances
On November 5, 2008, Browner was named to the advisory board of the Obama-Biden Transition Project.
On December 15, 2008, President-elect Barack Obama named Browner as Assistant to the President for Energy and Climate Change.  Officially known as the Director of the White House Office of Energy and Climate Change Policy, she acted as a coordinator for environmental, energy, climate, transport and related matters for the federal government.  Her position was sometimes informally described as the "Energy Czar" or the "Climate Czar".  (The form "Czarina" was sometimes also used.)  It did not require Senate confirmation. Her participation on the Commission for a Sustainable World Society drew criticism from some Republican members of Congress, but the Obama transition team said there was nothing wrong with it. In any case, her power and influence relied primarily on persuasion: "I don't have any independent policymaking authority. It's not like when I was at EPA and I could depend on regulation."
Browner's deputy assistant was Heather Zichal, a former legislative director for Senator John Kerry.
The early months of the Obama administration found her working well with the Cabinet members.  She was a key negotiator between the administration and automakers in formulating the new United States emission standards in May 2009, and also was a member of the Presidential Task Force on the Auto Industry that bailed out American automakers.  She successfully urged incorporation of tens of billions of dollars for renewable energy programs into the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009.  She was a central player in negotiation with Congress of the United States Carbon Cap and Trade Program, seemingly more so than U.S. Energy Secretary Steven Chu, and continued to stress its importance despite the Obama health care plan being the top legislative priority overall.  Environmentalists viewed her as a critical liaison to the White House.  By September 2009, Republican members of Congress expressed concern that her access to the president had usurped power from other agencies.  She also became a brief target of fervent anti-"czar" radio and television commentator Glenn Beck, following the Van Jones resignation.
In October 2009, Browner conceded that congressional passage of the cap-and-trade legislation before the end of year was unlikely, and feared its absence would harm prospects for meaningful international agreement at the Copenhagen United Nations Climate Change Conference in December.  By the next month, she moderated her concern, but expressed opposition to any congressional "slicing and dicing" that would separate energy and climate concerns.  Attempts to pass any kind of climate legislation collapsed in July 2010 due to lack of enough votes in the Senate; Browner appeared on behalf of the administration and said, "Obviously, everyone is disappointed that we do not yet have an agreement on comprehensive legislation."  At other times she became philosophical, later saying that she would quote the key lines from one of The Rolling Stones' most well-known songs to Obama: "You can't always get what you want, but you get what you need."
In 2010, Browner became a key part of the administration team handling, and one of the more visible administration figures in issuing public comments about, the BP Deepwater Horizon oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico.  In late May 2010 she assessed the spill as "probably the biggest environmental disaster we have ever faced in this country" and said that the administration was "prepared for the worst".  She added that "I think what the American people need to know that it is possible we will have oil leaking from this well until August, when the relief wells will be finished."  Mike Allen of Politico later wrote that "[Browner's] calm, authoritative television presence during the BP oil disaster made her one of the few officials whose stature was enhanced in the aftermath of the Gulf catastrophe."
With Republicans taking over the House of Representatives following the 2010 midterm elections, chances 
Carol Browner