for instance, sparked because farmers feared the EU’s environmental legislation would increase their production costs. These protests were met with understanding and public support in many EU member states. They also drew interest from populist leaders, who saw an opportunity to further their own cause on the back of the farmers’ grievances. Po

But the climate crisis has since been joined by more overlapping crises: the covid-19 pandemic, Russia’s war in Ukraine, the war in Gaza and its fallout across the Middle East. This “polycrisis” has pulled the attention of policymakers and public alike in multiple directions. It has also contributed to increased public concern about energy se

In 2019, Ursula von der Leyen began her first mandate as European Commission president during a period of remarkable public and political support for climate action. Climate change had topped many EU citizens’ lists of concerns that year, which had contributed to a strong showing for the Greens in the European Parliament election (the “green wa