Scrapping the flagship UN “net zero” policy, which aims to eliminate greenhouse gases by 2050, has become the latest rallying cry for the populist right.
UK Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch proposes purging any candidate who supports net zero policies from her party ahead of the next general election, in an obvious attempt to outflank Nigel Farage’s Reform. Farage has been an implacable opponent of climate change policies throughout his political career. Brexit, an act of monumental self-harm, would not have happened without him. If he succeeds in undermining Britain’s commitment to net zero, the effects will be equally harmful.
Unlike Farage, Badenoch acknowledges the real impact of climate change. However, the Conservative leader argues the burden of adjustment carries too many economic risks, and the costs fall disproportionately on working-class communities.
It is a position that is becoming increasingly common on the populist right. The AfD in Germany and the National Rally in France, far-right parties that lead opinion polls in their respective countries, have pledged to row back on net zero. Donald Trump, a climate change denier, says the European economy is dying because of net zero policies.
RM Block
The effects of climate change are becoming more evident every year, with Europe among the worst affected. The economic and societal costs of not reaching net zero by 2050 greatly outweigh the costs of eliminating greenhouse gases.
In Ireland, the consensus among the main political parties remains committed to net zero policies, although the country is well off track to meet the target.
The unprecedented heat of the past two months has caused ecological disasters that have disproportionately affected the most vulnerable. The argument net zero must be scrapped is a dangerous non-sequitur that must be challenged. Every country must play its part in reducing the devastating effects of climate change.
