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Virtual icon Virtual Panel - Political Ideology, Party Politics, and Climate Policy

Cleavages
Environmental Policy
Political Parties
Climate Change
V544
Carolin Zorell
University of Örebro

Abstract

Climate policy is inherently political, shaped by ideological cleavages, party competition, and shifting voter preferences. While climate change has traditionally been championed by left-wing and Green parties, recent trends suggest that right-wing and challenger parties are engaging with environmental issues in new and sometimes unexpected ways. At the same time, the role of individual politicians, electoral incentives, and contextual political factors, such as air quality on election day, can influence environmental policymaking and political behaviour. Understanding how political actors position themselves on climate issues is crucial for assessing the future of climate governance and sustainability transitions. This panel examines the relationship between political ideology, party politics, and climate policy. Papers in this session explore whether and how European right-wing challenger parties have “greened” their positions on the environment through legislative speeches, the impact of center-left governments on Green activism in democratizing contexts, and how election-day air quality affects voter turnout. They also investigate the environmental attitudes of Members of the European Parliament (MEPs), and how party competition shapes the ability of different parties to attract environmentalist voters. The session brings together research on voting behaviour, legislative politics, and environmental positioning within party systems, hence providing a view of the evolving role of ideology and party politics in shaping climate governance, electoral competition, and public support for environmental action.

Title Details
“Greening” the Right? Estimating European Challenger Parties' Positions on the Environment from Legislative Speeches, 2009-2019 View Paper Details
Green Activism in the Era of Re-Democratization: Does a Centre-Left Government in Power Make a Difference? View Paper Details
The Impact of Election-Day Air Quality on Turnout: Evidence from Poland View Paper Details
Who Cares About the Environment? Analyzing MEPs' Environmental Attitudes in the European Parliament View Paper Details
Who Gains the Environmentalist Vote? New Evidence on Environmentalist Voters and Party Competition View Paper Details