Populist Opposition Is Threatening Progress on Climate Change

This paper examines the rise of populist opposition to climate policy in advanced economies and its implications for democratic governance and decarbonization efforts. Campanella and Lawrence argue that climate policies are especially vulnerable to populist backlash because their costs are immediate and unevenly distributed, while their benefits are long-term and less visible. The paper highlights how anti-elite rhetoric, distrust of expertise, and resistance to international cooperation have fueled “climate populism,” particularly on the political far right. The authors argue that sustaining support for climate action will require lowering the economic costs of the green transition through innovation and trade while also adopting more politically engaging and socially inclusive climate strategies.