"Many populist, nationalist and far-right parties have attacked environmental, climate and clean energy policies during the campaigns for this week’s EU parliamentary election."

"In 2019, when the 450 million citizens of the European Union’s 27 member states last went to the polls to choose a parliament for the continent, youth-led climate activism was cresting. Hundreds of thousands of people marching in the streets of Berlin, Brussels, London, Paris and Vienna during the campaigning helped turn the EU parliamentary election into a referendum on climate action and preserving nature.

That strong grassroots support for pro-environment candidates and parties propelled the European Green Deal, as well as ambitious targets for reducing greenhouse gas emissions across all sectors to net zero by 2050 and a sweeping nature restoration law that requires member states to repair damaged ecosystems.

But five years later, as Europeans again go to the polls this week, an anti-environment backlash largely orchestrated and financed by fossil fuel companies and related industries is threatening some of those policies. Polls suggest that populist, rightwing and nationalistic parties seeking to slow climate action will win more seats in the June 6-9 election of the next 705-member EU parliament, which could slow their implementation."

Bob Berwyn reports for Inside Climate News June 7, 2024. [2]

SEE ALSO:

"Macron Calls Shock French Elections After Far-Right Rout" (Reuters) [3]

"The False Claims on Food and Farming That May Sway EU Elections" (DeSmog) [4]

"EU Climate Plan Faces Tougher Road After Election" (Reuters) [5]