Austria must significantly increase its climate change efforts. In this country, CO2 emissions in the non-emissions trading sector are to be reduced by 48 percent by 2030 compared to 2005, according to the “Fit for 55” climate package presented by the EU Commission on Wednesday.
The EU states Sweden, Luxembourg, Germany, Finland and Denmark will have to deliver 50 percent of the savings. At the lower end of the scale are Bulgaria (-10 percent), Romania (-12 percent) and Croatia (-16 percent).
In the case of the major greenhouse gas emitters such as traffic, buildings, agriculture and garbage, the 27 nation states have to take care of a reduction. In the case of effort sharing, the following applied up to now: the higher the gross domestic product, the more emissions have to be saved. However, this approach would result in relatively higher costs for some member states, according to the EU Commission in its most recent proposal. Therefore, she wants to “adapt the goals so that they reflect cost efficiency”.
However, Austria is sumptuous when it comes to climate protection. The climate neutrality set in the government program by 2040 is still a long way off in this country. According to the European Environment Agency (EEA), greenhouse gas emissions hardly changed between 1990 and 2018, while other countries were able to significantly reduce their emissions. The biggest factor in Austria is traffic: since 1990, greenhouse gases have increased by around 74.4 percent in the traffic sector.
Off for internal combustion engines
Part of the “Fit for 55” climate protection package focuses on the automotive industry: According to the EU’s plan, new cars should no longer emit CO2 emissions from 2035 onwards.
Sustainable aviation fuels
According to the will of the EU Commission, airlines must continuously increase the proportion of sustainable aviation fuels in the coming years. As early as 2025, at least two percent sustainable kerosene should be added to the tanks, five percent from 2030 and twenty percent from 2035. By 2050, the share should then be increased to at least 63 percent. In addition, kerosene is to be taxed for flights within the EU in the future.
Environmental organizations want more
Environmental organizations consider the climate protection package presented by the EU Commission to be inadequate. The “Fit for 55” package remains “toothless on too many points. Essential goals such as the expansion of renewable energy sources or increasing energy efficiency ultimately remain non-binding for the EU member states, although implementation depends largely on them,” explained Johannes Wahlmller Klima – and energy spokesman from GLOBAL 2000. In the coming negotiations there is still a lot to be done to improve the EU so that it can credibly position itself as a climate pioneer, “said Wahlmller.
A similar statement was made Greenpeace. This will not stop the destruction of the planet, says EU Director Jorgo Riss. Many measures would not work for at least ten years, such as the phasing out of internal combustion engines from 2035. Others would pour oil on the fire. The EU Commission’s package is “not fit” to contain the climate crisis.
“Good approaches, but still far too few”, is the verdict of WWF– Climate spokesman Karl Schellmann on the EU climate package. “The steps are in the right direction, but too slow and hesitant. From the point of view of science, it is clear that a reduction of at least 65 percent would be necessary to achieve climate neutrality by 2050 and to limit global heating to 1.5 degrees . But even the weak compromise target will hardly be achievable with the present plan, “said Schellmann. In the negotiations that follow with the Council and Parliament, improvements urgently need to be made.
(Forts. mgl)
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