Many European poli­ticians are getting cold feet about implementing the Green Deal strategy that was so widely supported in 2019. In Germany, France, Spain and the UK, centre-right parties resort to ‘greenlash’ – a political backlash against environmental concerns.

Dangerous heat fuelled by climate change is putting tens of thousands of lives at risk. Last year, 60,000 Europeans died of heat-related causes. Energy security concerns boosted the case for renewables last year, but rising costs are prompting some to call for a slower pace on climate legislation. Some European politicians want the EU to emulate the US that lavishes subsidies rather than adding more new rules.

But one must never underestimate how most politicians plan to ensure their existence on the political stage is prolonged for as long as possible.

In the UK, the beleaguered Prime Minister Rishi Sunak announced that selling new petrol and diesel cars will continue beyond the previously set deadline of 2030. He also reiterated plans to expand oil and gas developments in the North Sea and drill for the fossil fuels that environmental groups condemn.

Political analysts interpret Sunak’s U-turn as a newfound and controversial electoral strategy to try and reverse the worsening opinion polling ahead of an election anticipated for next year. Former Prime Minister Boris Johnson is for once right when warning his successor that “business must have certainty about net zero commitments”, adding: “We cannot afford to falter now or in any way lose our ambition for this country.”

The greenlash is no less intense in the larger EU countries. While still backing the Green Deal, the European People’s Party (EPP) has called for a ‘moratorium’ on climate rule-making and launched an aggressive campaign against several environmental laws. German MEP Peter Liese, the EPP’s environmental spokesman, argues that the number of green regulations “is a huge problem”. He insists that “it is important not to demand too much”.

France’s centrist president Emmanuel Macron has endorsed the EPP’s call for a regulatory ‘pause’. The narrative on how to deal with climate change is undoubtedly shifting, especially on the part of the moderate conservatives represented by the EPP in the European Parliament.

While opinion polls suggest that most European citizens are worried about the effects of climate change on their lives, they are also concerned about the costs of changing course to a more sustainable energy scenario and the role of strong business interests behind the green transition.

The political backlash against the Green Deal risks making Europe a laggard in promoting the change needed to make it a credible and effective world power

The political backlash against sticking to the Green Deal milestone is also evident in Poland, which will have elections in October. The Polish Minister of Climate and the Environment, Anna Moskwa, asks a rhetorical question: “Does the EU want to make authoritarian decisions about what kind of vehicles Poles will drive?”

Holland’s strong farmers’ lobby forced the EPP, which sees itself as the main defender of rural interests, to launch a campaign against elements of the Green Deal targeting agriculture. While the EPP campaign failed narrowly in the EP, it succeeded in weakening the EU’s flagship Nature Restoration Law.

Europe is struggling with various social, economic and environmental challenges. While politicians like to project an image of strong leadership and vision, the reality is that narrow national interests almost invariably take precedence over pan-national issues that affect most European citizens.

The political backlash against the Green Deal risks making Europe a laggard in promoting the change needed to make it a credible and effective world power. If Europe waivers, other countries like India, China and the US will race ahead and take advantage in the international markets in electric vehicles and other green technologies.

The thing with climate change is that we are constantly confronted with the consequences like intense heat, storms, droughts and rising ocean temperatures. Whatever the politics may be, reality has a way of ensuring the decisions are taken. 

The elections to the EP in 2024 will be decisive in determining the future of the Green Deal. With the centre-right group turning more negative on green policies, one can expect weaker measures on dealing with climate change. The gap between citizens and their politi­cal leaders keeps growing. EU and UK politicians must address the concerns of citizens and businesses more decisively if they want to maintain support as they legislate on sectors that hit close to home.

Ultimately, green laws must be implemented without overwhelming anyone; otherwise, many might feel that climate policy is financially overwhelming and bad. This is one reason populist parties are growing fast in many European countries.