According to the relevant register of the EU Commission, the procedure regarding the National Energy and Climate Plan (NEKP) was officially closed on Wednesday.

Austria should have submitted a first draft of the updated climate plan to the EU Commission as early as June 2023. Exactly one year later, the final updated plan was to be presented. The final version was finally sent shortly before Christmas 2024.

Disagreement in Government

The reason for the delay was a dispute in the then government coalition of ÖVP and Greens, which was publicly primarily carried out by Climate Protection Minister Leonore Gewessler (Greens) and European Minister Karoline Edtstadler (ÖVP). A draft submitted by Gewessler was withdrawn by Edtstadler, with the reasoning that it was not agreed upon with the government. The Climate Minister had a different opinion on this.

In the final version, which was decided by the Council of Ministers last December, the "questions raised by the Commission were answered and technical changes and updates were made".

"Less Dirt in the Air and More Money in the Wallet Must Be the Goal"

The former Climate Protection Minister Gewessler sees herself confirmed in her approach by the decision. "Last year, after long negotiations with the ÖVP, we presented a strong NEKP that helps reduce energy costs, secures jobs in Austria, and meets the EU climate targets," she said in a statement to the APA. The plan must now be implemented by the new government without delay. "Top priority must be to support households - especially those with low incomes - in switching heating systems and urgently abolish the billions in climate-damaging subsidies. Less dirt in the air and more money in the wallet must be the goal," said Gewessler.

(APA/Red)

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