Climate obstruction at work: Right-wing populism and the German heating law

Recently, there has been a certain reorientation in the field of transition studies. For a long time, the concept of ecological modernization and the focus on green niches were predominant. However, in light of the overall slow pace of sustainability transitions and increasing conflicts surrounding environmental and climate policy measures, there has been a stronger focus on incumbent and right-wing populist actors. The intense debates surrounding the so-called heating law (Gebäudeenergiegesetz, GEG) in Germany demonstrate that socio-technical transitions and policies aimed at achieving net zero should be conceptualized as socially contested processes to adequately reflect their societal and political character. We argue that more recent research on sustainable transitions that looks at the role of incumbent actors, and especially the concept of ‘climate obstruction’ is helpful for better understanding the delay of climate policies. Based on this assumption, we analyze the campaign against the law and identify five central discursive strands brought forward to dismantle the law: Expropriation (1), Disenfranchisement (2), Ideological Driven (3), Green Cronyism (4), and Demand to Take Everyone Along (5). • The paper discusses anti-net-zero discourses against the German heating law. • Populist elements play a significant role in sustainability transitions. • This contributes to outlining a research agenda on socio-ecological transformation conflicts.