Climate minister Leonore Gewessler of the Green Party surprised coalition partners with her plea for a ban on fracking gas. The People’s Party was reluctant on Tuesday – the ÖVP said it would not comment on the minister’s plans. However, a decision on fracking in Wednesday’s cabinet meeting seems unlikely.
The Gewessler fracking ban has therefore been postponed for the time being. However, the Greens’ head of department adheres to it, even though it is not in the government program and the draft has not been agreed with the ÖVP.
“Fracking has a huge impact on our environment by breaking up the ground and pumping it full of chemicals. And fracking takes far too long to contribute to security of supply in the current energy crisis. In the 2030s we don’t need new gas production, we need to get rid of natural gas. I am in favor of creating clarity now,” the minister told “Krone”.
ÖVP currently without fracking plans
If everyone is against fracking, you can solve it immediately. In the Weinviertel, where fracking is possible, people deserve safety, Gewessler said. The ÖVP has claimed it does not want fracking, but has not yet committed to an explicit ban. The document drawn up by the Minister of the Environment remains untouched for the time being.
The party headquarters of the ÖVP told the “Krone” that nobody in Austria wanted to do fracking anyway – a ban was therefore not necessary. However, in view of the energy crisis, considerations had intensified in this regard.
Stelzer wants to investigate “bio-fracking”.
In July last year, the governor of Upper Austria, Thomas Stelzer (ÖVP), called for the possibilities of “bio-fracking” to be investigated and – where appropriate – applied. And the Federation of Austrian Industries (IV) has played with the controversial gas extraction method in the Weinviertel in the past and demanded a feasibility study.
Source: Krone
I am Ida Scott, a journalist and content author with a passion for uncovering the truth. I have been writing professionally for Today Times Live since 2020 and specialize in political news. My career began when I was just 17; I had already developed a knack for research and an eye for detail which made me stand out from my peers.
