Appeal before the election

“Styria must not live at the expense of others”

Renewable energies do not yet dominate fossil fuels (symbolic image).

(Bild: AP)

Prominent environmental organizations are joining forces to make a clear demand of the next provincial government: Styria should become climate-neutral by 2040 - and enshrine this in law. This could make our province a pioneer in Austria.

It has been a summer of extremes: severe storms have left their mark on Styria on several occasions and September temperature records are currently being broken throughout Austria. Against this backdrop, the organizations Global 2000, Fridays for Future, Scientists for Future and the Klimarat-Verein are now joining forces. The "Climate Neutral 2040 Platform" is calling for a strict climate and energy law from the future state government.

The environmental experts are putting concrete proposals on the table as to what should be written into this law. "Styria must not live at the expense of others," says Severin Ettl, coordinator of the platform. Essentially, the aim is to ensure that, as a federal state, we do not emit more greenhouse gases than can be stored here (see explanation below).

Demands from sealing to traffic
This storage will be crucial in the future. "Natural CO₂ sinks are primarily provided by healthy soils with an intact humus layer," explains Martina Stangl from Scientists for Future. But Styria is going in the wrong direction here: According to the WWF Soil Report, it has the highest soil consumption rate in the whole of Austria at 3.1 hectares per day. Converted, this is an area of around 4.5 soccer pitches that is sealed every day.

Severin Ettl (Plattform Klimaneutral), Viktoria Auer (Global 2000), Alena Zöch (Fridays for Future), Elfi Nebel (Klimarat-Verein) and Martina Stangl (Scientists for Future) hosted the press conference.

(Bild: Plattform Klimaneutral)

The organizations also made concrete demands in the energy and heating sector: "We need a comprehensive energy transition. Renewables do not even account for half of consumption," says Viktoria Auer from Global 2000. "Targets should be set here" - for example in the designation of zones for wind turbines or for Energie Steiermark, which is wholly owned by the province. In addition, the renovation of houses should be promoted - "we are heating out the window here", says Auer.

The green heart of Austria could soon lose its color.

Severin Ettl, Koordinator der Plattform Klimaneutral 2040

A sustainable and low-meat diet and adapted organic farming should also be promoted, as well as a no to the expansion of the A 9. This package of measures is intended to drastically reduce Styrian emissions of almost 13 megatons of CO₂ equivalents per year. If the targets were enshrined in law, Styria would be a federal pioneer. Auer counters the fact that the demand is "very ambitious" according to environmental economist Karl Steininger with: "We have no choice but to take ambitious measures."

It remains to be seen which government will be formed after the state elections at the end of November and whether it will be prepared to make such a commitment. The "Climate Neutral 2040 Platform" has already submitted similar requests to Lower Austria, Salzburg and Carinthia. Other organizations such as PV Austria and IG Windkraft are supporting them. However, because the FPÖ is even expected to win in Styria with forecasts of almost 30 percent, implementation is by no means guaranteed.

Umweltökonom Karl Steininger:

„Klimaneutralität bis 2040 ist ein sehr ambitioniertes Ziel“

Klimaneutralität, das ist ein sperriger Begriff. Etwas leichter lässt sich die Kohlenstoffneutralität erklären. Karl Steininger, Leiter des Grazer Wegener Centers, vereinfacht den wissenschaftlichen Ansatz so: „Es geht darum, alles, was an menschlich produziertem CO₂ emittiert wird, in CO₂-Senken speichern zu können. Die Konzentration in der Atmosphäre darf also nicht steigen.“

Karl Steininger leitet das Wegener Center für Klima und globalen Wandel an der Uni Graz.

(Bild: Christian Jauschowetz)

Speichermöglichkeiten bieten vor allem Böden, teils auch Bäume – und zukünftig womöglich technische Maßnahmen. So ließe sich CO₂ in alten Gaslagerstätten deponieren. Allerdings: „Die natürliche Speicherkapazität erfasst in Österreich nur vier bis fünf Prozent der aktuellen Emissionen, technisch wären nur ein paar Prozent mehr möglich“, rechnet Steininger vor. Die Folgerung: „Die Emissionen müssten um etwa 90 Prozent reduziert werden.“

Genau aus diesem Grund nennt er Klimaneutralität bis 2040 ein „sehr ambitioniertes Ziel“. Die Industrie müsste dekarbonisiert und die Heizung von Gebäuden umgestellt werden; der Verkehr müsste komplett von fossilen Treibstoffen wegkommen. Ziele gesetzlich zu verankern, die auf regionaler Ebene erreicht werden können, mache in seinen Augen durchaus Sinn. „Die öffentliche Hand muss konkrete Schritte vorschlagen“, stimmt er den Umweltorganisationen zu.