In the 00s, Republican attacks on Al Gore, the former US vice-president whose personal fortune tops $300m, were one of the main drivers of polarisation among the American public on green issues.
In many parts of the world, the financial crash and years of subsequent turmoil have shredded electoral support for parties and politicians associated with the old order and propelled new forces into power, from Trump in the US to Brexiters in the UK.
Popular anger at the economic insecurities that are synonymous with 21st-century capitalism which in the UK have included soaring housing costs, the casualisation of employment and sustained falls in wages has provided an opening for any political forces presenting themselves as radical outsiders, fighting on behalf of the voiceless masses.
