“How a Climate Backlash Influenced Campaigning in Europe" Article Reflection No. 100 (6/10/2024)

Article: “How a Climate Backlash Influenced Campaigning in Europe”

Reflection:

In the article “How a Climate Backlash Influenced Campaigning in Europe,” journalist Somini Sengupta reports on the EU Parliament election and how this year’s voting patterns can significantly shape future climate policy. After the group European Greens secured a relatively large portion of the parliament back in 2019, the supranational organization agreed to an emissions restriction goal called the European Green Deal, according to the article. However, factors like higher electricity costs, the COVID-19 pandemic, and the Russia-Ukraine War posed major obstacles to the European Green Deal, Sengupta writes. Lately, the European Greens have faced negative poll results and farmers have also been protesting against emission restrictions on their agriculture. 

I think this article re-emphasizes how addressing climate change effectively requires cooperation and action on the legislative side of things. I think that helps explain why I am interested in environmental law: I want to address things from their root cause, and I think the only way to do that especially in the long term is by law. Since there are so many different groups of people with various needs from the farmers against agriculture emission reduction measures to unwavering environmentalists, I wonder how long it will take to reach consensus for laws in the future.