A-Infos (en) Canada, Collectif Emma Goldman - A Hotter, More Right-Wing World: The Growing Shadow of "Carbofascism" (ca, de, fr, it, pt, tr)[machine translation]

We are at a tipping point. As global average temperatures soar, the far 
right is rapidly gaining ground in the political sphere. Far from 
abating, these two trends are accelerating and painting a picture of an 
unstable future. This is the warning issued by the Zetkin Collective in 
its hard-hitting book, Fossil Fascism: The Far Right, Energy, and 
Climate. ---- The Climate Crisis Is Not Uniform: The Racial Dimension of 
Injustice ---- The accelerating pace of climate change is not a threat 
that strikes equally. The reality is stark: "Seven of the ten countries 
most affected by climate change are located in sub-Saharan Africa." 
(Zetkin Collective, p. 202)

This disparity highlights the often-under-analyzed racial dimension of 
the crisis. The Zetkin Collective sums up this injustice with a striking 
phrase: "Whites fly, Blacks die" (Zetkin Collective, p. 202), 
highlighting the limited responsibility of the most affected populations 
in relation to the impact they suffer.

"Whiteness" confers a structural advantage in societies governed by 
racial domination. While not all whites benefit equally, the current 
system perpetuates glaring inequalities in the face of environmental 
consequences.

What is the rise of "Carbofascism"?

Every barrel of oil, every ton of coal extracted, every cubic meter of 
gas released into the atmosphere accelerates warming (Zetkin Collective, 
p. 19). As long as it is financially advantageous to do so, fossil fuel 
producers will continue to exploit their reserves, an objective in 
direct conflict with climate mitigation efforts (Zetkin Collective, p. 295).

Faced with the need for major progressive changes to stem the crisis, a 
violent reaction is taking shape (Zetkin Collective, p. 19). It is in 
this context of resistance to change that the concept of "carbofascism" 
emerges.

Regimes such as those of Bolsonaro in Brazil and Trump in the United 
States are central players in this movement. They promote openly 
ecocidal policies: deforestation, expansion of intensive agriculture, 
unconditional defense of fossil fuels, and mining.

Their position is dogmatic:

"No matter the mountain of evidence presented to them, they dig in their 
heels-which is the antithesis of rational and scientific conduct. They 
are no more skeptical of climate change than a die-hard Holocaust denier 
is of the Holocaust" (Zetkin Collective, p. 24).

Canadian Political Inertia and the Defense of the Status Quo

Canada is not immune to this underlying trend.

Some political figures use populist rhetoric to staunchly defend the 
"North American way of life," heavily centered on car ownership. (It's 
worth noting that the transportation sector is the largest emitter of 
greenhouse gases in Quebec.)

Some political figures strongly oppose climate action, often using 
populist slogans like Pierre Poilievre's "common sense" and Éric 
Duhaime's "my car, my choice." Duhaime, in particular during the 2025 
by-election in Arthabaska, made the repeal of the federal carbon tax the 
"ballot box issue," even though it doesn't apply to Quebec (the province 
having its own carbon market). Not to mention Bernard Drainville's 
unequivocal statement in defense of the proposed third link between 
Quebec City and Lévis: "Leave me alone about greenhouse gases."

More recently, Premier François Legault increased the pressure to slow 
the transition by suggesting a "pause on certain" environmental 
measures. By implying that Quebec cannot be the only one making efforts 
in North America (pointing to the inaction of the United States) and 
even proposing to use the Green Fund to provide financial assistance to 
citizens, this discourse exploits the inaction of its neighbours to 
question the ambition and urgency of climate action.

Conspiracy Theories: A Psychological Escape

How can we explain this adherence to policies of inaction?

Psychology shows that, faced with a feeling of loss of control, 
individuals can create illusory perceptual frameworks to restore it. 
Conspiracy theories are an escape route (Zetkin Collective, p. 302). The 
mechanisms observed during the pandemic are now being applied to the 
climate.

Political figures, such as Maxime Bernier (PPC) and Éric Duhaime (PCQ), 
are becoming mouthpieces for these conspiracy theorists and deniers. 
Maxime Bernier, for example, echoes positions of the German far right 
(Alternative Für Deutschland), which argues that "carbon dioxide is not 
a pollutant but an essential element for life" (Zetkin Collective, p. 25).

By denying human responsibility for climate change, these voices "free 
people from the pressure of change." They offer "the possibility of 
continuing to live as they always have, sparing themselves the growing 
psychological conflicts of implicative denialism in an ever-warmer 
world" (Zetkin Collective, p. 294).

This is a call for inaction disguised as political courage, a dangerous 
headlong rush that leads us straight toward a future of climate 
instability and exacerbated social injustice.

See also: Green Capitalism, Carbon Fascism, and Ecofascism

by Emma Goldman Collective

http://ucl-saguenay.blogspot.com/2025/11/un-monde-plus-chaud-et-plus-droite.html
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