Winners and losers

Light and shade in the turquoise-green climate plan

(Bild: APA/EVA MANHART)

For months, it was a point of contention between the ÖVP and the Greens - the National Energy and Climate Plan (NEKPs), which must be reported by each country to the EU Commission. The Greens' agreement to the appointment of Magnus Brunner as EU Commissioner has now led to a breakthrough. Both parties have made concessions.

The NECP sets out the measures with which each EU country intends to achieve the EU-wide target of a 55% reduction in greenhouse gases by 2030. Due to the disagreement between the ÖVP and the Greens, Austria was the only country not to submit a climate plan to Brussels. It was threatened with fines. Climate Protection Minister Leonore Gewessler had already sent a draft to Brussels in October 2023 with some delay and without coordination with the ÖVP.

However, European Affairs Minister Karoline Edtstadler recalled it because it had not been agreed with the People's Party. The EU Commission then initiated infringement proceedings against Austria in December 2023.

The diesel privilege has been the subject of dispute for many years.

(Bild: Manuel Schwaiger/Krone KREATIV (Symbolbild))

Greens abandon targets for individual sectors such as agriculture
The Greens have now used the Brunner deal as an opportunity to wrest a compromise from the ÖVP. The second part of the Turkish-Green pact is the new security doctrine, which sets out the phase-out of Russian gas by 2027.

Both governing parties have made concessions: the Greens have renounced the so-called sector targets and the ÖVP is committed to abolishing climate-damaging subsidies. These primarily include the diesel privilege (lower mineral oil tax on diesel than on petrol) and the company car privilege (companies can deduct company car costs from tax). The diesel privilege is particularly sacred to farmers. The sector targets, on the other hand, would have set binding targets for certain areas such as agriculture, the energy sector and transport. Farmers in particular have fought against this.

Environmentalists demand rapid implementation
The measures set out in the climate plan are of course not yet law, they all still have to be adopted and this will not happen in this legislative period. Nevertheless, the Greens are relieved about the agreement. There is also praise from environmental organizations, but also demands. The WWF is calling for an ambitious and swift implementation of the planned measures in practice.

"Austria can achieve its CO2 reduction targets, but it still needs to adopt many additional measures. Energy saving programs, the reduction of environmentally harmful subsidies and more nature and soil protection are particularly urgent," says WWF climate spokesman Reinhard Uhrig. The WWF is therefore calling for a large-scale nature and climate protection offensive from the future federal government.

Pressure on the next government
Adam Pawloff, Program Director at Greenpeace, welcomes the agreement. "However, it remains to be seen what the climate plan can achieve in terms of content. One thing is clear: the problem must be tackled at its roots and emissions radically reduced. To do this, climate-damaging subsidies must be cut and climate-friendly mobility promoted. Anyone who instead puts all their eggs in the carbon storage basket has already lost the game."

Fridays For Future is also holding the incoming government to account. "Our decade is the decisive one to ensure a good life in Austria. Austria must reduce its own emissions by almost half by 2030. No matter who is in government, there is already a clear government mandate. The next government is the last one that can still save the achievement of the national climate targets - we are at a crossroads in terms of climate policy. That's why we now need a competition for the best solutions in the election campaign," says Fridays For Future spokesperson Emma.

Fridays For Future is putting pressure on politicians.

(Bild: Jennifer Kapellari)

SPÖ identifies poor compromise
Minister Gewessler emphasizes that the paper averts fines and creates a roadmap for CO2 reduction. "We take the protection of our climate seriously. This will also be reflected in the Austrian climate plan. We will achieve our goals, avoid fines and protect our livelihoods."

Criticism came from the SPÖ. Europe spokesperson Jörg Leichtfried: "It is yet another bad black-green compromise. The last NECP draft was already inadequate and now its content has been weakened once again. This means that the target was missed by 13 percent in the last draft and now individual sector targets have also been removed. This leaves us with uncertainty and loopholes. This is bad both for climate protection and for companies."