Technology alone cannot stop the climate crisis «kleinezeitung.at

Minister of Environment Leonor Goesler (green) Calm reigns in the coalition’s latest skirmishes over the climate. To that from the Federal Chancellor Sebastian Kurz (ÖVP) You don’t want to get involved in the debate about giving up environmental protection, “I can do relatively little in the discussion,” Gewessler said Thursday at a press conference regarding the journalists’ request. The climate crisis “is calling our livelihood into question. Constantly saying no or just great words can’t save our climate.”

Gewessler sees a great need for action. “In the past year, we have suffered greatly from what it means to live on a sick planet. “There is no healthy economy on a sick planet,” the environment minister said. The goal is to show the children “a piece of this beautiful land still intact” in the future. That “we can still have a good life in Austria in 2040, 2050. We have to do something about it now We must not let the old way of thinking slow us downThe minister referred to the environmental protection projects in the government’s program, noting that the federal government bore great responsibility for that.

In short: “It is inevitable to enter the Stone Age”

Just like Kurz, Gewessler also wants to focus on innovations in environmental protection. “I totally agree with the chancellor, that is Not to go back in time, it means to move forward with courage.Now you shouldn’t ‘let old thinking slow you down’ and Don’t always listen to those “who say no automatically”Of course she added.

While Gewesler sees traffic as a huge problem, Kurz said, “It would be completely wrong to believe that That we can save the climate of the future only by practicing compromise.”Because the “only right approach” is to rely on innovation and technology. He said in the “United Nations” that “giving up mobility, giving up driving to the workplace and individual transport will not work.” “I don’t think so at all That our way back to the Stone Age must be. I don’t believe in the constant politics of a wobbling index finger or the fantasies that one might somehow live in the last century.”

The president of the Greens club, Sigrid Maurer, once again responded to Kurz: “Anyone who thinks they can handle the climate crisis without changing anything is living in the Stone Age.”Maurer says in an interview with the APA. Climate neutrality and an end to soil segregation were agreed upon. The evaluation of road construction projects is a step in this direction. “We are not talking about polar bears on the distant polar ice caps, but rather The effects of the climate crisis can be felt right here.”So, the club president.

Climate experts: Technology alone is not enough

If global warming is to be limited to 1.5°C, it will have to Radical measures are taken immediatelysays climate economist Karl Steinger of the University of Graz. There will be no “miracle technology that leaves our system completely intact”. In the climate crisis, simply relying on innovation and technology, the chancellor suggested, will not be enough, according to the researcher.

Also known as Harald Reeder, a climate scientist at the University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences It is not a scenario in which technological solutions alone can stop the climate crisis.

The Broken Coalition in the Federal Council, Correction in the National Council

The dispute at the governmental level was preceded by decisions in the Federal Council and the National Council. Member of the Federal Council of Vorarlberg Kristen Schwartz Fox Last week he agreed to an opposition motion in the regional chamber, Stop evaluations of road construction projects. In the National Assembly, this breach of the coalition was corrected by the government factions. At the request of the Greens, the National Council has decided to formally ask Gewessler to re-evaluate the S18 Instead, a tunnel connection between Swiss N13 and Vorarlberg A14 Rheintalautobahn near Hohenems-Diepoldsau will be discussed.

Green movement announcer Hermann Weerachnig justify the request The 3.5 kilometer section, which was recently examined in a feasibility study by the canton of St Gallen, would be much shorter. From the Lake Constance motorway project it can also be implemented more quickly. A road is currently planned for 8.5 km in length, its construction is expected to cost around 1.5 billion euros and could take an estimated 20 years. According to the study, the tunnel connection could be implemented within six years, according to Weratschnig. The ÖVP deputies for Vorarlberg also reluctantly agreed to the request.

During a visit to Vorarlberg, Kurz turned to the ORF in connection with the S18 Bodensee motorway Publicly against the environment minister in his coalition: “The ruler and I are of one mind. We are on the side of the people. The project has been planned for a long time, It has been promised for a long time and must be implemented.“Why was the ÖVP club last in Parliament to make a motion supporting Gewessler on this matter, “I do not know that”, explained Kurz in “Vorarlberger Nachrichten” (Thursday issue). The ÖVP club did not wish to comment on the matter on Thursday at the request of the APA.

Headwinds for Gewessler in the ratings

the The dispute between the Greens and the ÖVP over road construction projects It had been burning for three weeks. Then it became known that new construction projects in Asfinag are currently being examined as part of the evaluation by the fall, Including controversial ones such as the Lübau Tunnel in Vienna. The states protested loudly. Gosler was somewhat surprised by the excitement, After all, I actually made it transparent in December with a parliamentary question. With the Greens, one suspects behind closed doors that perhaps it was no coincidence that the subject of the excitement was fair On the questioning of Counselor Turquoise in the Ibiza Commission It found its way into the media.

Since the scrutiny of Asfinag’s new construction projects became public, Gewessler has been exploding Violent political headwinds from the federal states. Kurz had already sided with the federal states two weeks earlier: “We need good infrastructure, especially in rural areas,” the chancellor argued, was “Very optimistic that common sense will prevail”Because these are long term projects.

In any case, the debate was not limited to states and parts of the opposition, But also from the coalition partner in the federal government itself: That’s how he rules Finance Minister Gernot Blumel (ÖVP) His colleague in the green government said on the radio that he understood “if some have the impression that she is here It is not about objective review and opportunities for improvement, but more about ideology“Climate protection is not an ideology, climate protection is a fact,” Gosler replied. Shortly thereafter, his turquoise secretary of state at Geusler’s house called for “common sense.” Magnus BrunnerAdded a small shovel and She accused the department head of “uncertainty” due to her “working alone”. “In infrastructure projects, there are always a lot of interests on the table – regional, supra-regional, economic interests. Climate protection and environmental protection are now also on the table with me,” Gessler said, unmoved.