Greenlash (Buzzword of European Affairs 1/8)

'Greenlash' is a political backlash against green policies. There is a growing opposition against the environmental agenda as businesses and citizens still struggle with a cost of living crisis. At the same time, among climate change activists and experts, there is fear that right-wing parties are using the concerns linked to the green transition to resist new proposals in the field and even roll back green policies. Therefore, the social democratic approach for the green transition has to be to include social aspects into green policies. The German heating law debacle underscored this importance of ensuring green laws enables transition without overwhelming anyone, Nina Scheer, climate protection spokesperson for the ruling Social Democrats in parliament, said. "Otherwise, citizens might start to feel that climate policy is always financially overwhelming and bad, and that sentiment is then exploited by populists." 

You should read:  

Claudia Detsch: Des Klimas Gretchenfragen: Wie sich beim sozial-ökologischen Umbau gesellschaftliche Barrieren überwinden und skeptische Milieus an Bord holen lassen.FES Just Climate 2024.  

Euronews: ‘Greenlash’: Why it’s getting harder to pass environmental reforms in the EU.

Nathalie Tocci: After two years of real progress on climate, a European ‘greenlash’ is brewing in The Guardian, 12/07/2023.