DW: Far-Right Populists and Climate Policy

Virtually all climate researchers agree that the evidence reveals climate change spurred by human activities is underway. Yet right-wing skeptics reject the science as hoax, equating concern with “an irrational environmentalist religion,” reports Deutsche Welle. They obstinately compare themselves to Copernicus, the mathematician who angered religious leaders by proposing the sun was the center of the solar system. The skeptics reject rducing dependence on coal and other fossil fuels even though such measures improve the environment, reducing health threats and boosting economies.The political party Alternative for Germany wants that country to follow the US lead in exiting the Paris Agreement and reduce support for renewable energies. Far-right leaders are illogical with attacks on institutions that have strengthened Western economies and contributed to prosperity: education, science, innovation and a sense of responsibility for future generations. The far-right stance defies majority public opinion in Germany and the United States and may inspire political leaders and environmentalists to pursue tough climate policies with strong enforcement mechanisms. – YaleGlobal