The SPÖ demands a fundamental right to enjoy nature in Austria
The demand for a basic right to enjoy nature in Austria in the constitution was made by SPÖ environment and climate spokeswoman Julia Herr in a press conference on Monday. Especially in view of the holiday season and rising prices, people are looking for relaxation and cooling off in their native nature, but while 60 kilometers of free water access are available in Vienna, it often looks bad elsewhere with lake access.
“Austria has beautiful nature, but it is often in private hands,” Herr noted, but according to the climate spokeswoman, not only lake shores, but also hiking trails are increasingly being built up or closed. Five concrete points are intended to counteract this, including the right to free access to nature in the constitution. A demand that was already made at the end of April by the Vienna Chamber of Labor together with the friends of nature and the Alpine Club.
Herr recalled figures from Statistics Austria, according to which one in four people could no longer afford to spend a few days abroad due to the extreme inflation, “but cooling off in bathing lakes in Austria is often not that easy”. For example, only nine percent of the shore of Lake Wörthersee is open to the public, not much more at 13 percent of the Attersee. According to the National Council member, it is therefore necessary to ensure public access to the lake, for example through a right of first refusal and a ban on the sale of lake property for states and municipalities and the provision of additional financial resources to acquire them.
Likewise, in the area of ten meters to the lake shore – with the exception of buildings – there should be barrier-free freedom of movement, which must not be blocked or impeded by fences or other measures. , stressed Mr. In addition, the Bundesforste, as the administrator of a large part of the forest areas in Austria, should no longer be allowed to sell land and should ensure free access for the general public in the case of lease agreements. “Public transport in these areas must be expanded – this can reduce individual traffic and ensure environmentally friendly travel,” is Herr’s final demand.