Green tea: clean-energy conservatism as a countermovement

Abstract

Environmental politics in advanced industrialized countries have been characterized as a dynamic interaction of two opposing movements: an original movement of progressive environmentalism and a countermovement of conservative opposition to environmental and energy-transition policies. This study analyzes an additional dynamic based on the emergence of clean-energy conservatism in the United States. We develop an explanation of the emergence of this additional dynamic and examine the reasons conservatives give for supporting clean energy, the variety of their frames, differences from comparison organizations and policy outcomes. Clean-energy conservatism has emerged, in part, as a dissenting response to the alignment of conservatism with support for fossil fuels. Although clean-energy conservatives seek to redefine clean energy policy according to conservative ideology, they differ from comparison conservative organizations over climate change and air quality. Clean-energy conservatives can claim some policy victories, but because they work in broad coalitions with environmentalists and others, it is difficult to assess their influence. The case of clean-energy conservatism is used to develop the theory of environmentalism and social movements by deepening the conceptualization of 'counter-countermovements,' and we also suggest the general value of considering the varieties of conservatism in future environmental sociology research.