Far-right populist surge would threaten EU climate action: report

27 February 2019
by greenpeace -- last modified 27 February 2019

A new report by Adelphi, a German think tank, has shown that the next European Parliament could see a greater share of MEPs opposed to policy action to tackle climate change.

This could undermine the EU’s ability to avert climate catastrophe, which scientists say could be irreversible within eleven years.

Greenpeace EU democracy policy director Franziska Achterberg said: “This EU election is critical for Europe’s ability to respond to humanity’s greatest challenge. A major influx of European politicians opposed to climate action – or even questioning the science on climate change – would put a serious dent in the world’s chances of avoiding climate breakdown. The choices we all make in May could shape the future for generations.”

According to the report, MEPs from parties such as the German AfD, Dutch PVV, Italian Lega, French Rassemblement national and Polish PiS have consistently voted against EU climate policies.

They are projected to increase their number of seats in the European Parliament considerably, at the expense of parties that generally support climate action.

The researchers warn that these parties could also influence the positions of mainstream parties, further weakening the European Parliament’s role as an engine of progressive climate policies.

Convenient Truths - Mapping climate agendas of right-wing 
populist parties in Europe

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