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Demonstrators hold placards and chant slogans during a rally to protest against the expansion of the Ultra Low Emission Zone (ULEZ) in London, at Marble Arch, central London, on June 25, 2023.

Henry Nicholls | Afp | Getty Images

In the wake of a U.S. crusade against mission-driven investments, signs of a green political backlash in Europe appear to be gathering pace.

State laws restricting the use of environmental, social and governance factors have swept across the U.S. in recent months, fomenting uncertainty for an increasing range of businesses.

In Florida, Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis signed a bill into law in early May that barred state and local officials from investing public money to promote ESG goals and prohibited municipalities from selling ESG bonds. “We do not want them engaged on these ideological joyrides,” DeSantis reportedly said at the time.

Analysts expect the outcome of next year’s U.S. presidential election to determine whether the political backlash against ESG will have a deep and lasting effect.

A pushback against climate policies is not just a U.S. issue. In Europe, indications of a green backlash — or “greenlash” — have started surfacing as businesses and citizens feel the costs of the energy transition.

Speaker of the House Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) signs a resolution passed by the House and Senate that aims to block a Biden administration rule encouraging retirement managers to consider environmental, social and corporate governance (ESG) factors when making investment decisions, during a bill signing at the U.S. Capitol March 9, 2023 in Washington, DC.

Drew Angerer | Getty Images

Nathalie Tocci, director of Istituto Affari Internazionali, an Italian international relations think tank, told CNBC that the weaponization of climate issues from traditionally skeptical political parties was nothing new.

“This is really a story of the last couple of years, but I think it is really picking up steam now,” Tocci said.

Reprisals over climate policies come at a time of record-breaking extreme heat across the globe, with July poised to be the hottest month in human history.

It prompted U.N. chief António Guterres to signal, “The era of global warming has ended; the era of global boiling has arrived.”

‘Reframe the issue’

In the U.K., London mayor Sadiq Khan’s push to expand a contentious Ultra Low Emission Zone policy across the entire city has sparked an economy vs. climate fight — as well as a green identity crisis among Britain’s major political parties.

Dutch farmers have been staging protests over stringent limits on nitrogen emissions, with the BBB or BoerBurgerBeweging (Farmer-Citizen Movement) party lashing out at what it sees as a policy that symbolizes “everything that is not going right” in the country.

I think that in the case of Europe, if you have this ‘greenlash’ that persists … the trick is going to be that of reframing this in terms of industrial policy.

Nathalie Tocci

Director of Istituto Affari Internazionali

In Poland, the conservative government recently filed four complaints against EU climate policies, calling them “authoritarian” and a potential threat to its energy security. Ruling party leader Jarosław Kaczyński described the bloc’s green policies as “madness” and akin to “green communism.”

French President Emmanuel Macron and Belgian Prime Minister Alexander De Croo have also called for a “regulatory pause” of Europe’s green legislation, saying that a period of “stability” is necessary to avoid losing momentum in the climate fight.

France’s President Emmanuel Macron, Belgium’s Prime Minister Alexander De Croo, President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen gesture as they attend the North Sea summit in Ostend, on April 24, 2023.

Kenzo Tribouillard | Afp | Getty Images

Anti-green parties could look to latch onto a burgeoning European greenlash in a bid to surge in the polls, with the Netherlands, Poland, the U.K. and European Parliament all due to hold elections over the next 18 months.

“At the moment, it looks like green parties are not doing going fantastically well. I think the challenge is going to be for those, like myself, who really believe in this agenda to reframe the issue,” Tocci said, citing U.S. President Joe Biden’s landmark Inflation Reduction Act as one example.

The IRA, which was signed into law last year, will funnel billions of dollars into programs designed to accelerate the country’s transition away from fossil fuels and battle the climate emergency.

“The IRA is called an IRA, it is not called a climate act because there’s no way that you could get Democrats and Republicans to agree on something called climate,” Tocci said.

“In the case of Europe, if you have this ‘greenlash’ that persists … the trick is going to be that of reframing this in terms of industrial policy.”

Dutch nitrogen crisis

In the case of the Netherlands, the BBB is seeking to capitalize on Prime Minister Mark Rutte’s resignation by becoming one of country’s largest parties in the 150-seat parliament.

The pro-farmer’s party stunned Dutch politics in mid-March by winning provincial elections, shortly after more than 10,000 Dutch farmers rallied against government plans in The Hague.

The backlash follows a landmark court ruling in 2019, which said the Netherlands must reduce excess nitrogen levels. Some of the remedial measures include voluntary buy-out schemes and developing more sustainable farming methods.

Farmers gather at Zuider Park to protest against the government’s farming policy on reduction of nitrogen emissions in The Hague, Netherlands on March 11, 2023.

Anadolu Agency | Anadolu Agency | Getty Images

Dutch farmers are up in arms over government plans, which they say will bring an end to many farms nationwide and hit food production.

The nitrogen crisis is “an example of what will happen with climate, because climate regulations and targets … will have much more consequences for the farmers than nitrogen,” Jan Willem Erisman, professor of environmental sustainability at Leiden University in the Netherlands, told CNBC by telephone.

“So, I think that solving the nitrogen problem is not enough, it is solving the climate problem — and nitrogen will be solved also,” he added.

Poland’s role as a ‘veto player’

Polish voters are expected to head to the ballot box in the fall. Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki has criticized the EU’s “Fit for 55” climate law, saying Warsaw never supported the package and “one size does not fit all.”

Michal Hetmanski, head of Instrat, a Warsaw-based independent think tank, told CNBC that Poland’s government appeared to be determined to remain “a veto player” within the bloc on climate policies.

A spokesperson for Poland’s ruling Law and Justice party did not reply to a CNBC request for comment.

A 'Big Short' investor sees financial disaster brewing in housing markets — again

At the European parliamentary level, meanwhile, lawmakers are not expected to scale back on climate action ahead of elections next spring.

An overwhelming majority of European citizens recognize the climate emergency is a serious problem, and most agree that adapting to the adverse impacts of the crisis can have a positive outcome.

“It’s worth remembering that the EU has already committed to cut CO2 emissions by 55% by 2030 and achieve climate neutrality by 2050,” Arthur Carabia, director of ESG policy research at Morningstar Sustainalytics, told CNBC via email.

The EU’s “Fit for 55” law is designed to help the 27-nation bloc achieve its target of reducing net greenhouse gas emissions by at least 55% by 2030 and reach climate neutrality by 2050.

“While there is still a long way until May 2024, we don’t expect that the results of the upcoming EU elections will cause to the EU to deviate from this objective,” Carabia said.

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Oil prices jump more than 3%, adding to last week’s surge, as Israel strikes Iran energy facilities

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Oil prices jump more than 3%, adding to last week's surge, as Israel strikes Iran energy facilities

Fire and smoke rise into the sky after an Israeli attack on the Shahran oil depot on June 15, 2025 in Tehran, Iran.

Getty Images | Getty Images News | Getty Images

Crude oil futures jumped more than 3% Sunday after Israel struck two natural gas facilities in Iran, raising fears that the war will expand to energy infrastructure and disrupt supplies in the region.

U.S. crude oil rose $2.72, or 3.7%, to $75.67 per barrel. Global benchmark Brent was up $3.67, or 4.94%, at $77.90 per barrel.

Israeli unmanned aerial vehicles struck the South Pars gas field in southern Iran on Saturday, according to Iranian state media reports. The strikes hit two natural gas processing facilities, according to state media.

It is unclear how much damage was done to the facilities. South Pars is one of the largest natural gas fields in the world. Israel also hit a major oil depot near Tehran, sources told The Jerusalem Post.

Iranian missiles, meanwhile, damaged a major oil refinery in Haifa, according to The Times of Israel.

Oil prices closed more than 7% higher Friday, after Israel launched a wave of airstrikes against Iran’s nuclear and ballistic missile programs as well as its senior military leadership.

It was the biggest single-day move for the oil market since March 2022 after Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine. U.S. crude oil jumped 13% in total last week.

The war has entered its third day with little sign that Israel or Iran will back down, as they exchanged barrages of missile fire throughout the weekend.

Iran is considering shutting down the Strait of Hormuz, a senior commander said on Saturday. About one-fifth of the world’s oil is transported through the strait on its way to global markets, according to Goldman Sachs. A closure of the strait could push oil prices above $100 per barrel, according to Goldman.

However, some analysts are skeptical Iran has the capability to close the strait.

“I’ve heard assessments that it would be very difficult for the Iranians to close the Strait of Hormuz, given the presence of the U.S Fifth Fleet in Bahrain,” Helima Croft, global head of commodity strategy at RBC Capital Markets, told CNBC’s “Squawk Box” on Friday.

“But they could target tankers there, they could mine the straits,” Croft said.

Catch up on the latest energy news from CNBC Pro:

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Next Generation Kenworth electric semi truck now available with Bendix ADAS

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Next Generation Kenworth electric semi truck now available with Bendix ADAS

Kenworth has announced the addition of Bendix’ Fusion advanced driver assist system (ADAS) to its line of options on the T680 line of Class 8 commercial semi trucks – a lineup that includes the Next Generation T680E battery electric semi truck.

One of the many new trucks revealed at the 2025 ACT Expo in Anaheim, California earlier this year, the Next Generation Kenworth T680E featured the latest advancements in battery-electric technology, an enhanced exterior design, and a suite of new, in-cab technology that extends to the addition of three Bendix Fusion version: ADAS, ADAS PRO, and ADAS PREMIER.

All three of the announced ADAS packages offer updated Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC) with ACC Stop and Auto Go™, a new Pedestrian Autonomous Emergency Braking (PAEB) feature, and a new High Beam Assist feature to reduce the likelihood of blinding oncoming drivers supported by the addition of a new forward-looking camera.

Those updates are in addition to the ADAS units Autonomous Emergency Braking (AEB), Multi-Lane Autonomous Emergency Braking, Highway Departure Braking (HDB), and Stationary Vehicle Braking (SVB), Lane Departure Warning, and Bendix® Blindspotter® Side Object Detection already available on previous versions of the ADAS-equipped Kenworth.

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Kenworth migital mirrors


Kenworth DigitalVision Mirrors; via Bendix.

Now that we’ve got that acronym-loaded word-salad out of the way, we can get to the point: the newest generation of electric trucks is easier and safer to drive – and not just safer for the truck’s operators, but for the people who share the roads with them, too.

Kenworth T680E electric semi


Next Generation T680E; via PACCAR Kenworth.

The Next-Generation T680E is available with up to 605 peak hp and 1,850 lb-ft of torque from a PACCAR Integrated ePowertrain fed from a 500 kWh li-ion battery pack good for more than 200 miles of loaded range. The updated Class 8 BEV is rated up to 82,000 lb. gross vehicle weight ratings (GVWR), and can get that load back up to speed quickly with a 350 kW peak charge rate that means the T680E can charge up to 90% in just two hours.

That system isn’t just more efficient than the first generation truck, it’s also more serviceable than it was before.

“This move to a fully integrated and ground-up PACCAR design means we were able to design for enhanced serviceability,” explains Joe Adams, Kenworth’s chief engineer. “Providing easier access to the Master Service Disconnects for improved safety and increased uptime and allowing the use of the DAVIE service tool for troubleshooting and diagnostics.”

The Next Generation Kenworth T680E electric semi truck is designed for short and regional-haul, LTL, and drayage operations. It’s available as a day cab as either a tractor or straight truck in a 6×4 axle configuration.

SOURCE | IMAGES: Kenworth; via Kenworth.


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To keep the lights on, you’ll need a whole home backup battery – your personalized solar and battery quotes are easy to compare online and you’ll get access to unbiased Energy Advisors to help you every step of the way. The best part? No one will call you until after you’ve decided to move forward. Get started today, hassle-free, by clicking here.

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Dealers are slashing prices on 2025 Kia Niro EV, nearly 25% off!

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Dealers are slashing prices on 2025 Kia Niro EV, nearly 25% off!

Just like it says on the tin – retailers are advertising killer deals on the fun-to-drive Kia Niro EV, with one midwest auto dealer reporting more than $10,000 off the sticker price of the Niro EV Wind. That’s nearly 25% off the top line price!

SKIP THE STORYget straight to the deals.

The Kia Niro EV gets overshadowed by its objectively excellent EV6 and EV9 stablemates – both of which are currently available with substantial lease cash and 0% APR financing, in fact – but that doesn’t mean it’s not an excellent little electric runabout in its own right.

The last time I had a Niro EV tester, my kids loved it, I liked that it was quicker and more tossable than I expected it to be, and my wife liked the fact that “it doesn’t look electric. It looks normal.” And, with well over 200 miles of real world range (EPA-rated range is 253 miles), it was more than up to the task of commuting around Chicago and making the trip up to the Great Wolf Lodge in Gurnee and back without even needing to look for a charger.

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It’s not the primary family hauler I’d choose – but as a second car? As a primary car for a slightly smaller family (1-2 kids, instead of 3-4)? The Kia Niro EV Wind, with a $42,470 MSRP, seems like a solid, “can’t go wrong” sort of choice. You know?

You won’t even have to pay that much, though. Raymond Kia in Antioch, Illinois is advertising a $42,470 Niro EV for $32,431 (that’s $10,039, or about 24% off the MSRP), and several others are advertising prices in the $33,000 range.

And, while we’re at it:


SOURCE | IMAGES: CarsDirect, Edmunds, Raymond Kia.


Your personalized solar quotes are easy to compare online and you’ll get access to unbiased Energy Advisors to help you every step of the way. The best part? No one will call you until after you’ve elected to move forward. Get started, hassle-free, by clicking here.

FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.

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