Austria and the hesitant approach to saving energy – politics
Put the lid on the pot when cooking. The faucet should not be left open longer than necessary. Windows should be sealed.
Anyone who reads the suggestions from the advertising campaign for saving energy by the Austrian Minister for Climate Protection, Leonore Gewessler, cannot help but wonder: Did we really live in such abundance that such simple saving tips are new? And – above all – are they enough to arm themselves against the gas crisis triggered by Russia and its President Vladimir Putin?
Austria seems to be more hesitant than Germany in view of the impending emergency. Berlin declared the second of three alarm levels on Thursday because of the throttled gas deliveries; Economics Minister Robert Habeck from the Greens said: “We are in a gas crisis. Gas is now a scarce commodity.”
Such clear, probably rousing words to restrict oneself are not to be taken in Austria. The federal government does not want to declare the alarm level yet. This could be explained by the fact that fewer industrial companies in Austria have to be supplied with gas than in Germany. In addition, according to the climate ministry in Vienna, significantly more electricity can be generated from renewables in summer than in Germany.
Which resulted in a speed reduction from 130 to 100 km/h
Isn’t it time, even if the supply is still guaranteed, to introduce significantly less popular measures that are really effective? So far, the German traffic light coalition has mainly appealed, nobody really has to limit themselves.
During the oil crisis in the 1970s, politicians were more rigorous. At that time, Arab oil states throttled production and imposed an embargo. The price of oil rose many times over. The governments in both Austria and Germany then obliged all car owners to have one car-free day per week. Public buildings were heated to a maximum of 20 degrees Celsius. Energy holidays and daylight saving time were introduced to save. And the Austrian Federal Chancellor Bruno Kreisky himself to use the wet razor instead of the electric razor.
This time there is nothing to be heard about it, a speed limit is only mentioned as a recommendation. Instead, both in Germany and in Austria, they want to increasingly rely on coal and reactivate power plants that have long been wacky because they are harmful to the climate.
According to the environmental organization Global 2000, a speed reduction from 130 to 100 km/h on the motorway would save a quarter of the energy per vehicle.
Can’t we really be expected to drive more slowly, not drive a car one day a week, turn down the heating, yes, just put the lid on the pot when cooking?
I hope not, otherwise things will be really bad for us in view of the climate crisis that is smoldering over everyone.
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