According to an estimate by the Federal Environment Agency, greenhouse gas emissions in Austria fell by 6.4 percent in 2023 compared to the previous year.
“You can see the effectiveness of climate protection policy,” said Environment Minister Leonore Gewessler (Greens). “That corresponds to a reduction of 4.7 million tons of CO2. That is the lowest value since 1990,” said Gewessler. The Federal Environment Agency’s calculations are therefore even clearer than the first estimate in March. In the past two years, greenhouse gas emissions have fallen by a total of 11.9 percent.
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Criticism from the SPÖ
For SP environmental spokeswoman Julia Herr, however, this result is no reason for celebration: “On closer inspection, it turns out that the mild winter, but above all the high energy prices including the economic downturn are responsible for the reduction.” Gewessler contradicts this interpretation of the figures: the decrease can only be attributed to a small part of around one percentage point to economic influences or the mild weather, said the minister.
Günther Lichtblau from the Federal Environment Agency reported that there was a significant decline in both natural gas and heating oil. This is the result of the move away from fossil fuels. The climate expert highlighted the importance of the mobility sector for achieving climate targets: “Transport accounts for the largest share of emissions at 19.8 million tonnes.” In the transport sector, emissions fell by 3.8 percent year-on-year, which can be explained, among other things, by a decline in fuel tourism and the energy crisis caused by the war in Ukraine. “Without these price signals, this development would not have happened,” said Lichtblau. In order to achieve the legally stipulated climate targets, there would have to be similarly large declines in the coming years. In international comparison, Austria is doing very well if one takes Germany as a reference, for example, which is having difficulties with the climate targets, said Lichtblau.
“Climate protection is not a sprint, but a marathon. The new federal government must make good progress after the election to halve Austria’s climate-damaging gases by 2030, as required by law,” said Jasmin Duregger, climate and energy expert at Greenpeace, about the preliminary greenhouse gas balance.
Savings on natural gas
Global 2000 stated that the greatest reduction in emissions was achieved by reducing natural gas consumption. In order to expand this trend, the Renewable Gases Act should finally be passed, demanded the environmentalists.
The Austrian Transport Club (VCÖ) pointed out that CO2 emissions from transport are 43 percent higher than in 1990, and that it is the “inglorious exception,” said VCÖ expert Michael Schwendinger. In 1990, emissions from the building sector, at 12.9 million tons, were almost as high as those from transport, at 13.8 million tons. Today, transport causes around three times as many greenhouse gases as the building sector.
Source: Nachrichten
