Excitement Over Draft for Climate Protection Act

The draft of the "Climate Act" from June 27, significantly shortened compared to previous plans, is no longer referred to as the "Climate Protection Act" in the coalition agreement. It is only half as long as the draft under the turquoise-green coalition, which failed due to resistance from the ÖVP economic circles. Above all, the mandatory emission reduction paths, the involvement of the federal states, and automatic tax increases like the mineral oil tax (MöSt) in case of not achieving climate goals, caused resistance from the ÖVP.

Draft for Climate Protection Act Without Legally Binding Content

In the new draft from the now ÖVP-originating minister, key points from back then have been deleted without replacement, reported the "Standard": such as rules for international climate financing, legal protection against too lax climate policy, or institutions like the "Citizens' Climate Council". The plan to prevent the potentially billion-euro purchase of certificates from abroad due to failing EU climate targets is also said to have been abandoned. Instead, a new steering group is supposed to prepare exactly this purchase. According to the newspaper, only a climate roadmap is planned, which the government is supposed to decide on by the end of October 2026 according to the draft. There is no indication that the contents would be legally binding. Environmentalists and scientists have been pushing for binding sector targets from transport to buildings to agriculture for years.

No Agreement Yet in the Three-Party Coalition on Climate Protection Act

The Ministry of Agriculture and Environment did not want to comment on all this to the APA. "The draft for the new climate law with the three pillars of climate protection, climate change adaptation, and circular economy is currently being coordinated within the government. The goal is to reach an agreement as quickly as possible. Once the three coalition partners have agreed on a joint legislative proposal, it will be sent for public review," it was stated in writing. Therefore, they ask for understanding that no details can be disclosed yet out of respect for the ongoing discussions. In any case, the essential key points have already been agreed upon in the government program, the ministry continued, "which will of course also be reflected in the climate law". Already in the coalition pact presented at the end of February by ÖVP, SPÖ, and NEOS, only "indicative", i.e., non-binding goals for the sectors are mentioned. Only the national overall goal is supposed to be binding. According to the coalition pact, they want to stick to the goal of achieving climate neutrality by 2040.

Gewessler Fears Massive Damage from Climate Protection Act

Gewessler, now the federal spokesperson and club chairwoman of the Greens after leaving the government, expressed her dismay in a statement: "If this happens, ÖVP, SPÖ, and NEOS will cause massive damage. To the climate, but also to Austria as a location. This will result in job losses and a loss of competitiveness." In the previous government period, it was made clear that such a law without binding targets and without sanctions was unacceptable for the Greens. Gewessler saw her concerns about the government's climate policy confirmed: "Without the Greens, climate protection falls by the wayside - the past months have clearly shown this. In the end, our children and grandchildren will have to pay the price for this."

Criticism of Climate Protection Law also from Climate Institute "Kontext", "Fridays For Future" and Greenpeace

"The draft of the climate law lacks the necessary clarity and binding nature. Not only is the central goal of climate neutrality by 2040 missing, but also annual sector targets, an immediate action program, binding timelines, and legal protection seem to be absent from the draft," said Kontext board member Katharina Rogenhofer. In this form, the climate law is ineffective. "What is crucial, however, is what the law will contain when it goes into review after coordination between the coalition partners."

The activists of "Fridays For Future" saw a climate law without climate protection on Monday. "As if it weren't bad enough that a legally necessary climate protection law has been missing in Austria for four years, this draft hits even harder. The draft is a half-baked climate law without binding nature, legal protection, and guarantees for the future of coming generations," it said in a statement. The crash to the ground of reality is all the harder after big announcements under Climate Minister Totschnig. "A law without obligations is a declaration of refusal to work, as the standards by which an effective climate law can be measured have long been scientifically established," said Laila Kriechbaum, spokesperson for "Fridays For Future". The group announced plans to protest at Totschnig's planned appearance on Wednesday at the Alpbach Forum.

For Greenpeace, the draft is unusable, and the NGO identified an urgent need for improvement. The governing parties must fundamentally revise the document, so the appeal goes. Almost all decisions, such as clear reduction and sector targets, are not anchored in the law and are to be set at a later date in a "climate roadmap". But even this plan is supposed to be legally non-binding. "With his draft, Climate Minister Norbert Totschnig delivers only an empty shell - without a target path, without an exit from fossil fuels, without a clear commitment to climate neutrality by 2040. Instead, the law provides for the trade of highly dangerous climate certificates, which is completely out of place," said Jasmin Duregger, climate and energy expert at Greenpeace Austria.

(APA/Red)

This article has been automatically translated, read the original article here.