Climate and energy high on the agenda in run up to 2024 EU parliament elections

Right-wing populist parties opposing strong climate action are gaining support in many EU countries and are expected to score well in the European Parliament elections in June. This has caused fears that these parties are increasingly exploiting divisive debates over climate action, pushing mainstream parties to tone down ambition, or that in countries where they are not in government they are seen as the most credible competitor. But how strong is the populists' impact on climate efforts in Europe and where is it felt most prominently? And how do societies and politicians react? This dossier sheds a light on how populist parties shape climate policy across Europe, with case studies from countries like Poland, Hungary, Spain, the Netherlands and Germany, and interviews and analyses. It will also assess the importance of a just transition to address people's concerns over climate action. Read the dossier here.

Voters in the EU will head to the polls in June 2024 to elect the next European Parliament, kicking off a months-long process to pick the bloc’s new leadership that will shape climate policy until the end of the decade. It will face the difficult task of designing the follow-up to the Green Deal – Europe’s strategy to become the first climate-neutral continent by 2050. Policymakers say the EU must focus on implementation, but also ensure its place in the world as a climate and technology leader, even as increasing worries of losing out in the transition causes pushback against ambitious climate policy. The political landscape is set to change as far-right parties are projected to make significant gains in many countries. However, the example of Poland points in a different direction, where a new pro-European government promised to put forth an ambitious energy transition programme soon. Read the article here.

One year from now, French citizens will go to the polls to have their say in the makeup of the European Parliament, together with citizens from across the EU. Energy and climate policy could play a decisive role in the elections, as high energy bills are likely to stay whilst the war in Ukraine rages on, and environmental activists are taking the streets to push the government toward rapid decarbonisation. For the French, fears of high bills on the one hand and scorching heatwaves on the other will influence their choice. Commentators expect the European elections to look much like a national political debate ahead of the next presidential election in France. Polls suggest that the current government could again land behind right-wing nationalists as in the 2019 European vote. Read the Q&A here.

Voters in Germany, alongside other EU citizens, will head to the polls one year from now to elect a new European Parliament and lay the groundwork for the next European Union executive to shape energy and climate policy for five years. Climate change was the top issue for German voters in the last European election in 2019, following summer heatwaves and a series of powerful protests by Fridays for Future student activists. June 2024, however, could see a different kind of “climate election”: many voters are more concerned about issues such as the cost-of-living crisis or security policy following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Intense public debates over a government proposal to effectively ban new oil and gas heaters showed that tensions may intensify as citizens see their daily lives increasingly affected by climate action. Regional elections in several eastern German states later in 2024, where populist and far-right parties have especially seized on people’s fears of change and high prices, may add to a tense environment. Read the Q&A here.