Government versus the Greens

Dispute over climate protection: “We are not watching!”

Exchange of words between Sandra Krautwaschl and Christopher Drexler

(Bild: Jauschowetz Christian/Christian Jauschowetz)

Floods and gale-force winds have kept the country on tenterhooks for days. In the Styrian state parliament, the Greens are - once again - demanding more commitment to climate protection from the state government. The ÖVP and SPÖ are firing back sharply.

At the beginning of the first parliamentary session after the summer break, the late long-serving Provincial Councillor Hans Seitinger once again managed to unite the entire provincial parliament. When President Manuela Khom read out an obituary ("His handshake counted, his word was kept"), representatives of all parties paid their last respects to him with open recognition.

Afterwards, however, the debate was already heated again. The Greens requested a topical hour on the subject of climate protection: "We have a summer of extremes behind us, which has ended disastrously in the last few days. When we tabled the topical hour two weeks ago, we had no idea how events would catch up with us," said Sandra Krautwaschl, leader of the Green Party. She herself would not have expected the force of climate change just a few years ago.

"We are the politicians here, we have to take the measures and we have to listen to the science," warned Krautwaschl. We have to give nature back its space: "Anyone who hasn't understood this now is walking around with huge blinkers on." Specifically, the Greens criticize the fact that the Styrian climate change adaptation strategy dates back to 2015 and was last revised in 2017.

Styrian State Councillor for the Environment Ursula Lackner (SPÖ).

(Bild: Jauschowetz Christian/Christian Jauschowetz)

"They want to change political change"
SPÖ State Councillor for the Environment Ursula Lackner fired back unusually sharply. The criticism was "insubstantial": "Climate change adaptation has been a major focus of government work for almost ten years. They don't want to take advantage of this to make political change." The outstanding points of the strategy adopted in 2015 were integrated into the Climate and Energy Strategy Action Plan in 2021. "I accuse them of deliberately ignoring this."

Lackner listed numerous laws and measures from the government term that is coming to an end. "There was never a time to stand by and watch in Styria. We have implemented and know that we must continue. We will continue to do so in the coming years." 

Drexler: "We will not stand idly by"
ÖVP state governor Christopher Drexler took the same line. He venomed him towards Krautwaschl: "Do you think we need you to understand that Styria is challenged by climate change?" Since its election in 2019, the state government has put climate protection at the top of its agenda. "We are not standing idly by. We have an extraordinarily ambitious program that we will continue to pursue."

However, Drexler sees the impact of Styrian measures as limited: "It would not stop the warming of the Mediterranean if Styria emitted zero grams of CO₂." A balance is therefore needed that continues to reconcile climate protection and prosperity.

Wine from the Enns Valley: "A good story"
The other speeches from representatives of all parties brought few surprises. Only Albert Royer (FPÖ), who described it as a "good story" that olive oil will be cultivated in Styria in the future due to climate change and that wine from the Ennstal could become possible.

Green dispute on the issue of hydropower between Lara Köck (left) and Sandra Krautwaschl

(Bild: Jauschowetz Christian/Christian Jauschowetz)

Dispute over direction in the green club
Franz Fartek (ÖVP) took pleasure in discussing the fact that a dispute had broken out within the Green Party's parliamentary group on the issue of hydropower. While Krautwaschl and Lambert Schönleitner are against new power plants on the Enns and Talbach (Schladming), energy spokesperson Lara Köck does not support this line, according to a report in the "Kleine Zeitung".

Krautwaschl later spoke out again and tried to respond to the accusations in a calm manner and extend an invitation for joint action. However, she accused Drexler of his "usual arrogant manner" - which in turn was criticized by Manuela Khom (ÖVP), President of the Provincial Parliament. 

New climate strategy is presented
Probably no coincidence of timing: at the end of the debate in parliament, a press invitation for Thursday arrived. The state government will then present the new climate and energy strategy (up to 2030) and the Styrian climate cabinet's balance sheet.