cross-posted from: https://lemmy.ca/post/40204291
Far-right parties increasingly mobilize against climate action. While scholarship has initially focused on explicit climate denialism, by now research analyzes the opposition against specific climate policies. This article studies far-right parties’ positions on solar energy, the fastest growing renewable energy source in Europe. First, we examine the crucial case of the Alternative for Germany (AfD), a prominent example of climate obstruction. Second, we explore ten additional far-right parties from eight western European countries as shadow cases. Methodologically, we analyze 61 manifestos (2014–2023). The article makes three key contributions: First, it shows how far-right parties frame solar power. Second, it underlines the heterogeneity of positions among far-right parties over space and time. Third, it argues that variation in opposition and support indicates that positions towards solar power are driven rather by strategic considerations than by a common coherent ideological stance – an important finding for understanding far-right climate obstruction more broadly.
It really doesn’t make any sense: A patriotic, nationalist party would want to strenghten their country. The AfD should want to make Germany independent from those pesky russians or those muslim oil dealers. Produce german energy in germany, strenghten the german economy, don’t pay german billions to foreigners. Stop climate change to protect our beautiful german landscape!
But they are doing the opposite: They are rallying against wind & solar, are pushing for russian gas, want gas-guzzeling cars and so on. Which is totally a hint that they were bought by someone whose name starts with P
here’s the thing: they don’t want to do that.
I don’t think far-right parties appeal to logic. I think they create a narrative that is based on feelings of fear, and then present themselves as the only solution to their imaginary problem. Something like that.
They appeal to the lowest common denominator. The least educated.