The governor of Lower Austria, Johanna Mikl-Leitner (ÖVP) has apologized for her “ball gown” saying – on the letter-to-the-editor pages of the “Krone”. In the letter, however, she also notes that the textile industry is largely responsible for climate change. Below is the full text of the head of state.
Dear reader,
Politicians are often accused of a lack of error culture. I would like to counter that at this point and tell you honestly, I made a mistake.
On the sidelines of Arnold Schwarzenegger’s climate summit in the Vienna Hofburg, I was asked by a journalist what each of us at home could do to combat climate change.
The fact is, the textile industry is responsible for about 10 percent of global CO2 emissions, more than all international air and shipping traffic combined, making it the second most damaging industry – right after the oil industry.
So what could each of us do on a small scale at home? Thinking about whether you really need another and another and another piece of clothing – and of course I don’t exclude myself from that.
That the last ball in the Hofburg and with it the unsuccessful example of the ball gowns came to mind during the said interview was, of course, a mistake that irritated me the most at the time. But said is said.
It also distracts from the root of the problem: according to a survey by Greenpeace Germany, each consumer buys an average of 60 items of clothing per year. And one in five is almost never worn, according to this research. So if a journalist asks me the above question, I remain convinced that everyone can contribute to CO2 pollution and climate protection with their purchasing behavior.
However, if it is occasionally claimed that the journalist asked me for “tips for saving against inflation”, that is just fictional.
Johanna Mikl-Leitner, Governor of Lower Austria
As reported, Mikl-Leitner explained at the climate conference: “Everyone can start with themselves. It starts with the clothes, that you don’t have to have ten ball gowns, but three ball gowns.” The clip was shown in the ORF satirical program “Welcome Austria”, and the country manager was teased by the moderators.
SPÖ: “Condescending and arrogant”
The tirades continued on social media for days. “The highest inflation in decades does not stop the ÖVP from treating the population arrogantly and condescendingly,” Franz Schnabl, SPÖ leader in Lower Austria, wrote on Twitter.
Source: Krone
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