Right-leaning conservationists claim that the left's "apocalyptic" environmentalism has driven away conservatives.

As a conservative with a deep concern for nature, Chris Barnard found it peculiar that only the left discussed environmental issues.

According to Barnard, president of the American Conservation Coalition, conservative history has a strong and rich legacy on environmentalism and conservation.

Barnard's "apocalyptic" outlooks and disastrous policy proposals have been embraced by the modern left, prompting right-leaning environmentalists to urge the GOP to reclaim its conservationist heritage.

"Barnard stated that conservation and conservatism are intertwined, and the original conservationists were individuals who lived on the land and had a direct personal relationship with it, such as hunters, farmers, ranchers, and others."

Ulysses S. Grant, a Republican president, created Yellowstone as the country's first national park in 1872. Theodore Roosevelt, another Republican president, earned the title "conservation president" for setting aside approximately 230 million acres of public lands as national parks, forests, monuments, and bird and game preserves.

In 1970, President Richard Nixon established the Environmental Protection Agency, while President Ronald Reagan signed the Montreal Protocol in 1987, a worldwide agreement aimed at decreasing the production and consumption of ozone-depleting substances.

Barnard stated to Planet Chronicle Digital that the environment has only become a more liberal or left-wing issue in the last few decades.

Heather Reams, the president of Citizens for Responsible Energy Solutions (CRES), a right-of-center nonprofit, began noticing a shift in attitudes toward environmentalism in the late '90s and early 2000s while working on Capitol Hill.

Reams told Planet Chronicle Digital that the new mantra is that we need to change our way of life in a way we hadn't seen before.

WATCH: THE FIGHT TO GET CONSERVATIVES BACK INTO CONSERVATION:

Al Gore, the former Vice President, has been warning about global warming through various means, including flip chart presentations and his 2006 documentary "An Inconvenient Truth." In the documentary, he predicted that the global sea level could rise as much as 20 feet "in the near future," and urged the U.S. to adopt renewable energy.

Barnard stated that Al Gore's approach to the conversation deeply polarized it, partly because he believes Gore misrepresented some of the science and made predictions that did not come true.

"Conservatives questioned the accuracy of the statement, saying, 'If that's not true, why should I trust you on any other matter?'" Barnard remarked.

In a 2009 speech in Denmark, he emphasized research stating that there was a 75% chance that the entire north polar ice cap would be completely ice-free during some summer months within seven years. However, according to NASA's 2022 report, Arctic sea ice has been steadily shrinking, but it has not yet completely disappeared during the summer months.

Gore's representative declined to comment on Planet Chronicle Digital's request.

Recently, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez has become more vocal about climate change and has advocated for policies such as the Green New Deal.

Small-government conservatives were alarmed by the statement of liberal politicians that they linked climate change with "social services and the Democratic agenda," as reported by Planet Chronicle Digital.

"According to Reams, the left's stance is that if you accept the climate is changing, then you also want the international government to address the issue. On the other hand, many Republicans are hesitant to get involved."

As Democrats grew louder on the environment, polls showed Republican engagement slipping.

In 2019-2022, only 14% of Republicans aged 55 and older surveyed by Gallup expressed significant concern about the environment, compared to 40% of Independents and 64% of Democrats in the same age group.

Among all political demographics surveyed, the largest proportion of Republicans aged 35-54 stated that they are not concerned about the environment at all.

Politicians from the Republican party have largely remained silent or have been dismissive of the claims made by Barnard, with former President Trump and Rep. Bob Good, R-VA, repeatedly labeling it a "hoax."

During his speech against the Inflation Reduction Act in 2022, Good stated that the climate crisis is a hoax.

"The Virginia Republican stated that this crisis is the only one that Democrats could cause, as they have been predicting the end of the world due to climate change for 40 years now, which is a false claim."

Such rhetoric isn't helpful, Barnard argues.

Conservatives are skeptical of climate solutions because they believe it will weaken America and make their lives harder, according to Barnard.

"Ignoring the existence of an issue because we don't like the solutions or the extremism is not an option," he stated.

In 2023, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration reported record-high global temperatures and greenhouse gas concentrations, according to a new study.

According to Reams, emissions are increasing, but the U.S. has the technology to reduce them. He also pointed out that the U.S. is among the cleanest energy-producing countries, even when it comes to fossil fuels and other sources criticized by many on the left. CRES supports an "all-of-the-above" approach, which involves increasing domestic production of fossil fuels, renewable and nuclear energy, and mineral mining.

If we engage, the United States can win the geopolitical game that she portrayed as more than just a climate issue.

"To remain competitive globally and maintain our position as a leader in innovation, we must utilize our U.S. ingenuity and resources. This includes beating China and Russia, as well as helping developing nations rely on the United States for resources rather than adversarial countries."