Climate Change is Killing Europe

For the last few decades, the West has been heavily engaged in discussing climate change and its impact on the Earth. While opinions may differ on whether sea levels are rising or if the world is facing an imminent nine-year deadline, Western governments are taking action by implementing policies that affect the working class. It is essential to acknowledge that such policies have consequences, particularly for working people. A case in point is the European Union, which has encountered various repercussions as it strives to address climate change.

Over the past decade, farmers in Western Europe have faced the brunt of certain policies, leading to persistent tensions between them and the EU. The EU’s “set of proposals to make the EU’s climate, energy, transport, and taxation policies fit for reducing net greenhouse gas emissions by at least 55% by 2030, compared to 1990 levels,” has hit the agricultural sector hard. One particular contentious policy involves reducing the usage of nitrate-based fertilizers. The situation was further exacerbated in 2014 when the purchase of fertilizer from Russia was prohibited due to sanctions imposed after Russia’s annexation of Crimea. This led to protests erupting in various European nations, including France, Spain, and Poland.