Green conservatism

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Green conservatism is a subset of conservatives who have incorporated green concerns into their ideology. Variants of green conservatism are most common where a pre-existing conservative movement are strongest, especially in the nations of the Anglosphere.

Variants

Canada

In Canada, the term was popularized in 2006 by Preston Manning, former federal opposition leader and founder of the Reform Party of Canada. Specifically Manning has argued that Western Canadian Conservatism with its strong rural roots and populist rhetoric will eventually have to reconcile the need for economic growth the desire for strong growth with protection of the environment. He has specifically talked about using water pricing in the Athabasca Oil Sands to prevent a "tragedy of the commons" scenario.

United Kingdom

The Conservative Party in the United Kingdom under David Cameron has embraced a green agenda which includes proposals designed to impose a tax on workplace car parking spaces, a halt to airport growth, a tax on gas-guzzling 4x4s and restrictions on car advertising. The measures were suggested by The Quality of Life Policy Group, which was set up by Cameron to help fight climate change.

Cameron has enthusiastically embraced "green" issues, and has made climate change a key component of his speeches. He has called for an independent climate change commission to ensure that emissions reductions targets are met.

United States

One of the first uses of the term green conservatism was by former United States Republican House Speaker Newt Gingrich, in a debate on environmental issues with John Kerry. Around this time, the green conservative movement was sometimes referred to as the crunchy con movement, a term popularized by National Review magazine and the writings of Rod Dreher.

In the United States, the Republican Party is generally considered the conservative party. Conservation has long been an important part of Republican political ideology, beginning significantly during the presidency of Teddy Roosevelt.

Green conservatism manifested itself as a movement in groups such as Republicans for Environmental Protection, which seeks to strengthen the Republican Party's stance on environmental issues and support efforts to conserve natural resources and protect human and environmental health.

The Independent Greens of Virginia (or Indy Greens) call themselves "common sense conservatives". The party, over the last decade, has run many conservative greens for local, state, and federal office. In 2004, the party gave its ballot line to Constitution Party nominee Michael Peroutka for president, and in 2008, once again placed the Constitution Party nominee Chuck Baldwin on the ballot as its presidential candidate. The Indy Greens call for balancing the federal budget and paying off the federal debt.

Japan

In Japan, the Environmental Green Political Assembly, or Midori no Kaigi, emerged out of the conservative reformist Sakigake Party. It combined a conservative ideology with an ecologist platform, forcing out a number of non-ecologist members to join the Democratic Party's Ryoun-kai faction. It showed poor performance at the polls, and was dissolved in 2004.

Germany

In Germany, the Ecological Democratic Party was formed by more right-wing defectors from Die Grünen in 1982. It combined a focus on environmental protection with a promotion of the right to life (opposition to abortion, euthanasia and capital punishment); it differs from The Greens by being less supportive of immigration and restrictions on state powers in criminal justice issues, not focusing on gay and lesbian rights, and having a differing view of feminism.

While having never gained seats in federal or state legislatures in Germany, it made a name for itself by its involvement in the opposition to a Czech nuclear reactor in Temelin, across the border from Bavaria. It is still active in the present day.

See also

• Eco-capitalism
• Earth First!

External links

• Green Conservatism Article by Andrew Sullivan, Retrieved August 21, 2008.