Political fragmentation is undermining efforts to tackle climate change, says Durão Barroso

In a peculiar coincidence, one of the first actions of U.S. President Donald Trump during his two terms was to withdraw from the 2015 Paris Climate Agreement, which had become a key commitment in efforts to curb global warming. Beyond the Republican's anti-environmental rhetoric, the withdrawal aligns with a political persona that extends beyond the White House: leaders who shun multilateralism and advance their own agendas with a "strongman" facade. — A leader needs to be someone who looks around and sees that people are with him. Who doesn't act for just a small group. Democracy doesn't work that way — said former Portuguese Prime Minister and former President of the European Commission José Manuel Durão Barroso, during a panel at Rio Nature and Climate Week. — They should see their party, their state, their organization as an instrument, where what matters are the people. A skilled politician with close ties to Brazil — his father was born in Rio de Janeiro in 1922 — Barroso did not mention Trump's name in front of the audience at the Edifício Turing but highlighted how the rise of extremist and isolationist policies is an urgent issue for democracies, directly affecting sensitive policies such as environmental ones. — I understand that the important thing is to find a set of interests [in negotiations] and that it's not a shame for a national leader to make concessions, and that this is understood by public opinion — he emphasized. — This is more difficult today, given the culture of strongmen, of ultranationalism. Durão Barroso linked the strengthening of extremist views globally to the "crisis of national forces that cannot solve people's problems." — The middle class lost income, felt abandoned, and began to look toward more radical positions, and there's a fertile ground for these thoughts — he explained. — There were other issues, such as irregular immigration, which intensified xenophobia. And we are witnessing an increase in these movements. The environmental agenda is criticized by extremist voices who view it as a tool to advance progressive policies and curb growth potential. Trump campaigned on his promise to expand oil exploration, with the slogan "drill, drill, drill." Germany's Alternative for Germany (AfD), which has become the second national political force, promotes climate change denial and dreams of banning electric cars. In Argentina, Javier Milei wanted to leave the Paris Agreement but didn't do so for economic reasons, which didn't stop him from advancing agendas like ending protections in sensitive areas, such as glaciers. In this context, Durão Barroso mentioned a crucial tool for current politics: social media. He believes these platforms encourage a "narcissism that leads to the cult of a leader's image, and harms what should be the public mission for the common good." — Social media amplifies extremist discourse. People talk within their own groups, and this exposes not just a fragmentation of countries, a struggle between powers, but rather struggles within our societies — he stated. — It seems there are insurmountable distances within our countries. And the situation is more fragmented, more unpredictable. More dangerous. But the former Portuguese Prime Minister and former President of the Gavi global vaccine alliance (with which Trump recently resumed dialogue) also outlined some paths to break the cycle of extremism and isolationism. Some of these involve Brazil. — Brazil is one of the largest economies in the world. It has problems, but it is in an interesting position: it is a member of BRICS, but it is a democracy, with freedom of the press and association. It is a Global South country with a political system seen in advanced democracies. And it is a world leader in some areas — opined Barroso. — Brazil is a respected country, not an aggressive one, and it has all the conditions to exert a positive influence on the world. Echoing a speech from January by the Canadian Prime Minister, Mark Carney, Barroso mentioned the importance of non-hegemonic countries uniting against what he called the "arrogance" of large, wealthy countries, avoiding resentment in their policies and speeches. — The UN is blocked, the Security Council, because of the veto system, is paralyzed... that's why it's important for medium powers to step forward, not letting only the major powers have a voice. Global reintegration also depends on the private sector and civil society. Companies and organizations sometimes have the necessary capital for important initiatives that the state does not have. These range from campaigns against deforestation to funding research on new technologies for environmental adaptation and reducing greenhouse gas emissions. — We need more resources and more research, more energy. And it's not just a question of money: organizations like Global Citizen can bring new enthusiasm. And this is important since politicians are sensitive to public opinion — explained Barroso. — When they feel pressured, they respond. Instead of just speeches, they move into action. A well-directed campaign can yield good results.