Europe Rejects Climate Alarmism

Written by Anthony Constantini

What’s happening: Protests are breaking out across the European Union against radical Green New Deal policies including gas-powered engine bans and anti-farming initiatives. These protests have been accompanied by a drop in support for Green Parties.

Catch up: In the U.S., the Green Party’s high-water mark was just 2.7 percent in the 2000 presidential election. But European Greens have been successful: they’re key members of governments in Austria, Germany, Belgium, and Ireland, and they increased support in the 2019 E.U. Parliament elections.

Why it matters: After turning to Green Parties amidst a mass media-driven climate panic, voters have become repulsed by two aspects of the movement: the fanaticism of its leaders and the economic damage wrought by its policies. Both spell trouble for the movement in the long term.

Extremism: Greta Thunberg was the most prominent voice for climate alarmism. Recently, she’s become even more extreme, protesting against any compromise taken by German Green Party officials. Plus, she and other activists have tied “climate justice” with anti-Israel advocacy.

• Keep in mind: Israel is the most pro-sustainable energy country in the Middle East.

Economic damage: Farmers are protesting in the Netherlands and Germany against green policies which would force many small farms to close, raising food prices at a time when inflation is already hitting voters hard.

Voter rejection: Both Austrian and German Greens are unlikely to get into power again; in the Irish parliament, the Greens stand to lose almost all their seats. And union-wide election polling reveals that the Greens may lose 25 seats in the upcoming E.U. Parliament elections.