Proposals for new wind power infrastructure frequently face opposition in affected communities. While right-wing populists are often among the opponents, the question remains: are they actually driving these protests?
Proposals for new wind power infrastructure frequently face opposition in affected communities. While right-wing populists are often among the opponents, the question remains: are they actually driving these protests?
A study by researchers at the Research Institute for Sustainability concludes that resistance is more often led by local initiatives and that dissatisfaction with decision-making processes outweighs populist attitudes. The study is published in the journal Energy Strategy Reviews.
To increase public satisfaction, political decision-makers need to take the concerns of the population more seriously. According to the authors of the study, this would prevent right-wing populists from co-opting local initiatives.
« The energy transition enjoys widespread support among the population in Germany. Nevertheless, renewable energy projects often meet with local resistance. Our research aimed to gauge the influence of right-wing populists on these protests. After all, at the national level, it is only the AfD and other right-wing populist groups that fundamentally oppose efforts to expand renewables », explains lead author Jörg Radtke.
The researchers conducted in-depth interviews with 36 local stakeholders from politics, local government, and civil society.
