Voting thriller

More than 80 percent in favor of EU renaturation law

(Bild: © viadonau)

The EU environment ministers will vote on the renaturation law on Monday. The outcome of the vote is unclear: before the weekend, there was still no majority in favor of the planned EU regulation. Austria's Minister Leonore Gewessler was also keeping a low profile. People in Austria, on the other hand, have a clear opinion.

According to a recent survey, 82 percent of the population are in favor of Austria's approval of the EU renaturation law. At the same time, more than two thirds consider it "unjustified" that several provincial governors want to prevent a Yes to the law. This is the result of a representative survey conducted by the market Institute (1000 online interviews) on behalf of WWF, which is available to the "Krone" newspaper.

It's about our livelihoods 
"This is a clear mandate for politicians. In terms of content, everything has long been in favor of Austria's approval, because we are thus securing our common livelihoods in Europe," says WWF Program Manager Hanna Simons in the run-up to the vote in the EU Environment Council on Monday. "The planned law not only strengthens climate and nature conservation, but also Austria's long-term security. After all, intact ecosystems are our best allies against the consequences of the climate and biodiversity crisis," argues Simons.

WWF Program Manager Hanna Simons

(Bild: Pamela Rußmann)

According to the market survey, Austria's approval of the EU law is strongly supported across party lines - most strongly among sympathizers of the Greens, the SPÖ and the NEOS with well over 90 percent each (99, 97 and 96 percent respond with "definitely" and "rather" respectively). However, according to this survey, the majority of declared supporters of the ÖVP and FPÖ would also welcome Austria voting in favor of the EU law (a total of 72% and 61% responded "definitely" and "rather" respectively).

Austrians generally have a high awareness of nature
"The fact that there are majorities here across party lines may seem surprising at first glance, but it is also based on a generally high level of nature awareness. The protection of nature is important to many people. Over 90 percent of respondents believe that society has a responsibility here," comments Birgit Starmayr, head of the market study.

The survey results also contain a clear mandate for local politicians: more than 80 percent of respondents demand that they do more to restore destroyed nature - for example, unsealing soils or renaturalizing rivers and moors. 90 percent agree with market's statement that "intact nature improves protection against disasters and is therefore also a question of the country's security". Almost as many (88 percent) consider it "particularly important that our nature is consistently protected and restored". More than 80% also agree that there should be binding targets for this in Austria and Europe.

Austria's approval possible
There have recently been fierce debates within the government, but also between the federal and state governments, as to whether Gewessler can single-handedly approve the regulation at EU level and whether the original blockade of the federal states has been lifted by the approval of Vienna and Carinthia. According to the renowned lawyer Daniel Ennöckl, Director of the Institute of Law at BOKU Vienna, the way is clear for the Environment Minister's approval as soon as one of the federal states officially withdraws from the blocking "unified state opinion".

Environment Minister Gewessler wants to approve the ordinance.

(Bild: APA/EVA MANHART)

According to the Federal Constitutional Law (B-VG), she can then also approve the EU regulation without the consent of other ministries. Most recently, the ÖVP Minister of Agriculture had also voted in favor of weakening environmental standards in the Common Agricultural Policy despite an objection from the Ministry of the Environment. Gewessler kept a low profile when asked by the "Krone". Her office initially said that numerous talks would be held over the weekend.