Meeting after criticism

Climate activists and business form a curious alliance

Joint paper by Christian Wipfler (Young Economy) and climate activist Valentin Bast

(Bild: Foto Fischer)

Unusual alliance: On Thursday, Junge Wirtschaft Steiermark and climate activists from the recently disbanded Last Generation will publish a joint catalog of measures. It all started with a sticker campaign a year ago.

At the start of school in the fall of 2023, activists from the Last Generation once again stuck themselves to the streets of Graz and caused chaos. "Talking instead of sticking", demanded the Young Economy and made an offer to talk - which the climate activists actually accepted. 

"We can only create sustainable solutions together," emphasizes Christian Wipfler, regional chairman of Junge Wirtschaft. They have met and discussed several times over the past few months. Now there is even a joint catalog of measures for a sustainable future. "It shows that climate protection and the economy go hand in hand," says climate activist Valentin Bast.

More green investments and less new construction
The catalog includes, among other things, making climate and environmentally friendly investments more attractive, for example through simplified access to loans and higher tax depreciation. Consumer products should be repairable. In the case of buildings, renovation should take precedence over new construction, and the aim is to achieve the highest possible recycling rate in the construction industry.

There is also agreement that public transport and the expansion of charging stations for electric vehicles must be stepped up. In addition, the huge amount of new goods that are destroyed in online trade (1.4 million parcels a year!) is to be tackled: donations of such goods are to be made easier.