A Dangerous Convergence? Climate Obstructionism Across the Right-Wing Spectrum
Wednesday, Sept. 10, 2025
12:30 - 2:00 pm ET (US)
Zoom Webinar
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About the Event
Previous research has repeatedly shown that various populist far-right parties (PFRPs) engage in some form of resistance to climate action. To better understand their approach to climate related issues, this presentation examines how established PFRPs in Germany (AfD), Spain (Vox), and Austria (FPÖ) frame and interpret climate change in their political communication. Although PFRPs have achieved notable electoral success across Europe, mainstream parties continue to play a dominant role in shaping public discourse. As such, any thorough analysis of climate obstructionism must go beyond the far right and critically engage with the rhetoric and strategies of mainstream actors—particularly those on the centre-right. This presentation investigates and compares the climate narratives across the broader right-wing spectrum, identifying key differences, parallels, and points of convergence. In doing so, it underscores the importance of national context for understanding how parties articulate and adapt their climate communication. Ultimately, the findings reveal that climate obstructionism is neither uniform nor confined to the political fringes, but a complex and transnational phenomenon rooted in a wider right-wing alliance.
About the Speaker
Mirjam Gruber is a Post-Doc Researcher at the Center for Advanced Studies of Eurac Research, co-coordinator of the research group Gender Dynamics, and co-editor of the Gender Matters blog. In 2023, she earned her doctorate in Political Science from the University of Leipzig (Germany). Her work explores the complex interplay between the climate crisis and far-right populism, a focus that culminated in the recent publication of her Open Access book, Climate Politics in Populist Times, with Routledge. Her current research interests include, climate change communication, populism and far-right parties, political discourses, critical discourse studies and gender aspects.