Scientists for Future Austria
Scientists from different universities, research institutions and disciplines gathered in front of the NEOS party headquarters on May 6.5.2024, XNUMX to draw attention to the security risk of the climate crisis and to demand an effective, science-based and socially just climate policy. Prof. Sigrid Stagl, economist at the Vienna University of Economics and Business, and Prof. Reinhard Steurer, professor of climate policy at BOKU Vienna, analyzed NEOS's climate policy strategy from the perspective of their respective areas of expertise. “The example of the LED lamp shows this clearly: Bans also lead to innovations – and are therefore an important part of the solution to the climate crisis. Unfortunately, this didn't reach the NEOS. Otherwise they are often characterized by rational approaches,” sums up Sigrid Stagl.
Climate crisis as a security risk – climate protection as an opportunity
The consequences of global warming are far-reaching: from more frequent and more intense extreme weather events, to crop losses, water and food shortages, to the exacerbation of existing crises and conflicts and the triggering of migration movements. Inadequate climate protection and insufficient adaptation to unavoidable climate impacts also threaten the health, standard of living and economic existence of many people in Austria. In Austria, for example, heat waves represent the greatest climate change-related health threat, which can be immediately life-threatening1
The Scientists for Future are drawing attention to this security risk with their campaign in the climate election year 2024. Climate protection, on the other hand, is protection of civilization with far-reaching, positive consequences in many areas of people's lives. Climate-friendly structures can reduce inequalities and be combined with welfare state measures2.
Instead of “invisible hand” with “invisible foot” with a low ecological footprint
Prof. counted positive and negative points. Reinhart Steurer on: It is pleasing that with the NEOS Austria has a liberal party to the right of the center that both takes the climate crisis seriously and offers fundamental solutions, Reinhard Steurer stated: “The NEOS are therefore an important alternative to the ÖVP, which unfortunately has the climate crisis often trivialized and solutions blocked. What is critical is that the NEOS rely too much on market mechanisms and are often blind to the need for rules and bans.”
The video of Reinhart Steurer's speech is available here.
A detailed summary of Reinhart Steurer's speech can be found here
“Markets are structured by deliberately set rules. The question is therefore not whether, but how the market will be regulated,” emphasized Prof. Sigrid Stagl: “That depends on what goals are to be achieved. Given the facts, climate protection must be a top priority. Not least because the climate crisis is exacerbating existing crises and particularly affecting those who have contributed the least to them.
The video of Sigrid Stagl's speech is available here.A detailed summary of Sigrid Stagl's speech can be found here.
“If NEOS were to correct this blind spot, we would be one step closer to indispensable regulatory solutions, such as a ban on advertising for products that are harmful to the climate,” summarizes Steurer.
The physicist Harald Geyer, who works in the Energy Transition specialist group of Scientists for Future, commented on fossil subsidies and the market failure in thermal insulation: Since the tenants bear the heating costs, but the landlords have to bear the costs for thermal insulation, the landlords have none Incentive to provide houses with thermal insulation.
A detailed summary of Harald Geyer's contribution can be found here.
The Neos party leader Beate Meinl-Reisinger was able to hear the second part of Sigrid Stagl's analysis and then commented on the criticism expressed by climate activists and scientists about the Neos' climate policy. She emphasized that the Neos do not rely solely on market mechanisms, but also advocate regulations. As an example, she cited the Neos' approval at EU level to end combustion engines. But she doesn't want to burden companies with additional bureaucracy, such as with energy transition projects. Reinhart Steurer responded by pointing to a programmatic paper as an example of the Neos' market orientation, which states: "CO2 tax instead of bans"
The video of Beate Meinl-Resinger's speech is available here
The action ended with a mutual commitment to dialogue.
1APCC (2018). Austrian Special Report Health, Demography and Climate Change (ASR18). Austrian Panel on Climate Change (APCC), Publishing House of the Austrian Academy of Sciences, Vienna, Austria, 340 pages, ISBN 978-3-7001-8427-0
2APCC (2023). APCC Special Report Structures for a Climate-Friendly Life (APCC SR Climate-Friendly Living) [Görg, C., V. Madner, A. Muhar, A. Novy, A. Posch, K. Steininger and E. Aigner (eds.)]. Springer Spectrum: Berlin/Heidelberg.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5QEvjaSX6Sc
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YnkFJUPmnJM
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Wywz1pRFgc
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