Dávid Dorosz
Deputy mayor of Budapest for climate and development
Budapest, Hungary
In her op-ed, “Time for a Christian conservative Green policy” (January 27), Hungarian Justice Minister Judit Varga is attempting to portray a right-wing government with a disastrous environmental record as a climate champion. This type of conservative greenwashing poses a real threat to successful climate action.
Much like other right-wing populists, including U.S. President Donald Trump and Brazilian leader Jair Bolsonaro, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán routinely puts corporate interests ahead of climate action.
Under Orbán, Hungary has seen huge corporate tax breaks, the erosion of social and health care systems, relaxed labor laws and the highest VAT in Europe. Meanwhile, a substantial part of the funds Hungary receives from the European Union find their way to the pockets of Orbán’s inner circle, sometimes even his own family.
All of this comes at the expense of effective green policies, where Orbán’s record is disastrous. Since 2013, Hungary’s carbon emissions have increased, and its share of renewables has fallen substantially. The government has abolished its environmental ministry, banned wind energy and introduced a special tax on solar panels. Together with Russian President Vladimir Putin, Orbán is now building new nuclear reactors. Last year, he vetoed the European Union’s 2050 carbon neutrality goal.
In her op-ed, Varga is seeking to conceal a host of anti-green policies. But voters are not fooled by the government’s rhetoric. In October, Budapest elected the first Green mayor of a Central European capital, while Orbán’s ruling Fidesz party lost control of several major urban centers.
The greater European context is important here. As the EU prepares to divert substantial funds to climate action, Varga is attempting to portray the government as “green” in order to be considered a potential recipient of EU funds earmarked for climate protection.
Instead of trusting an extreme-right government and its greenwashing propaganda, the EU should be channeling funds directly to those at the forefront of the effort to fight climate change: cities.