Despite the many crises, climate change continues to be a major concern for Austrians; they demand more countermeasures. Above all, there is great fear of extreme weather conditions.
“The many crises of recent years have overshadowed the issue of climate change. However, the vast majority of respondents are still interested and consider concrete climate protection measures necessary,” says the director of the market research institute Bertram Barth about a study presented on Wednesday by the environmental initiative “Mother Earth” and Greenpeace. at a press conference in Vienna. However, many “still feel insufficiently informed about the usefulness of individual measures,” he warned.
The majority views politics as a necessity: more than three-quarters of respondents would be in favor of the abolition of VAT on train tickets and public transport. 68 percent think the abolition of oil and gas heating and higher prices for climate-damaging products is sensible. 30 percent agree that no newly built cars with combustion engines should be registered in Europe from 2035.
“People in Austria are ready for the climate-friendly transition,” concluded Adam Pawloff, program director of Greenpeace. The next government must therefore move away from fossil fuels, abolish climate-damaging subsidies and instead invest massively in public transport.
Climate change fuels weather extremes
More than three-quarters (78 percent) see a link between extreme weather and climate change. In 2022, approval was as high as 80 percent. In an additional survey from early October, eleven percent indicated that they had already suffered from extreme weather conditions. 27 percent estimate the risk of being affected by damage from hail, drought or floods in the future to be high. Only four percent believe that they and their environment will not be damaged by extreme weather in the future.
69 percent of respondents are interested in the climate issue, but only 13 percent feel very well informed, half feel moderately to not well informed. “Our goal is to inform Austria about climate change and its complex consequences and to demonstrate solutions and remedies,” says Anita Malli, Managing Director of “Mother Earth”. The current focus ‘Water changes everything’ takes place from October 25 to November 4. The environmental initiative was launched in 2014 by ORF together with environmental and conservation organizations.
Source: Krone
I am Wallace Jones, an experienced journalist. I specialize in writing for the world section of Today Times Live. With over a decade of experience, I have developed an eye for detail when it comes to reporting on local and global stories. My passion lies in uncovering the truth through my investigative skills and creating thought-provoking content that resonates with readers worldwide.
