A study released in December argues that humans may be fueling climate change by breathing. An article in Japan Today last month argued that we should have a “carbon passport,” which would assign travelers a limited “carbon allowance” that cannot be exceeded. A professor at the University of Liege recently said on French news that “cats and dogs are a disaster for the climate.”
If you’ve been following recent headlines, you might have noticed a troubling trend in environmentalism. Enlightened thinkers in academia and government are adamant that we must sacrifice civilization to save the environment. It’s clear, though, that this extreme rhetoric is aimed more at controlling your lifestyle than protecting the planet.
For a long time, Republicans haven’t seen a need to answer this message, choosing instead to cede the issue entirely to academics and politicians on the Left. Recently, Republicans have instead focused almost all of their efforts on a series of issues that have come to be known as the culture war, an ideological conflict about the future of America.
While these topics are of course important, Republicans have been overlooking environmentalism for what it is: an unnoticed yet critical front in today’s culture war. The debate over environmentalism in America is a microcosm of the broader struggle, transcending mere policy differences and embodying the contest over cultural identity, societal priorities, and the direction of the country.
Environmental alarmism is not a new phenomenon. For decades, extreme rhetoric framed humanity as a pestilence on an otherwise pristine world. This view, summarized by William Cronon in The Trouble With Wilderness, was that “nature, to be natural, must also be pristine — remote from humanity and untouched.” Then, over a decade ago, papers were published investigating whether the climate change debate, a subset of the field of environmentalism, itself constituted a culture war.
Now, this debate has become a battleground with far-reaching implications for everyday people. According to revisionist environmentalists on the Left, restrictions on personal freedoms such as gardening, owning pets, traveling, and even having children are increasingly seen as minor inconveniences necessary for the greater good rather than tremendous infringements on personal liberties.
The joy and fulfillment derived from these simple pleasures of life are being overshadowed by an all-encompassing environmental doctrine that leaves little room for individual choice or happiness. The messaging around this platform is equally pessimistic: Leftist academics, pundits, and officials are subscribing to the narrative that humanity itself is an environmental scourge and the only way to preserve the Earth is to restrict human progress.
Worryingly, the Left has almost entirely captured this discourse. The Republican Party, despite being an incubator for and in many respects the originator of the conservation movement, has almost entirely abandoned the discourse in favor of denialism or apathy.
Environmentalism, once a bipartisan issue focused on pragmatic solutions and stewardship of natural resources, has been transformed into a polarizing ideological tool centered on dire predictions of global catastrophe instead of concepts that are relatable to the average person.
This shift has stifled meaningful dialogue and created a false dichotomy where one must either accept the entire leftist environmental agenda or be labeled as anti-environment.
Much like the pro-abortion movement, gender ideology, and defunding the police, the Left has taken an anti-human and anti-progress approach and is attempting to force it upon the rest of us. Unlike these other issues, however, the Republican Party isn’t nearly as forceful in opposition. Republicans need to mobilize around the environment and win this element of the culture war.
Environmentalism and conservation are indeed a part of the culture that Republicans are fighting to preserve. Consider the deep-rooted American traditions of outdoor stewardship and respect for nature, which have been integral to the cultural identity of many people, including institutions such as the Boy Scouts, communities of outdoorsmen, and our farmers and ranchers. This heritage offers a powerful and positive narrative for conservative environmentalism, one that celebrates the land and responsible use of natural resources.
For these communities, environmentalism is not a distant, theoretical issue; it is a daily reality that affects their livelihoods. By embracing this perspective, the Republican Party can capture the environmental narrative, defeating eco-alarmism and preserving a pro-human perspective.
In this context, conservation becomes a cultural issue, intertwined with the values and practices that define large segments of the population. It’s about preserving the land not just for its own sake, but as a vital part of the nation’s heritage and identity.
This approach offers a way to bridge the gap between our environment and our culture, proving that care for the environment is not only compatible with our values but is actually an expression of them.
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The Republican Party needs to embrace this issue with the same vigor that it fights other elements of the culture war. Conservation can and should be seen as a natural part of a pro-human message for the Republican Party, not just as part of winning an immediate political battle but as a tool for helping to shape a prosperous future for our nation and the world — but a future built on conservative values.
Whether we choose to acknowledge it or not, the culture war extends to the environment, and the stakes are high. Republicans must not surrender the discourse to anti-human and anti-progress radicals. It is time to reclaim the narrative and promote an environmentalism that celebrates human achievement, embraces progress, and respects personal liberty.
Philip Reichert is the southern regional director of the American Conservation Coalition. He is a former intelligence analyst for the U.S. Army and a former producer at Fox News. Lee Becker is a conservative writer and columnist for Salem Media Group. He lives in Tennessee with his wife and children.