GLOBAL 2000 calls for more political commitment to phasing out fossil gas
The European gas conference should have taken place in Vienna this week. Although it was canceled on the grounds that protests were feared, there were protests yesterday against the influence of the fossil gas lobby. This is because it has a major negative influence even without a conference being held in Vienna.
"The fact that the gas lobby is canceling the conference because of legitimate protests shows its lack of interest in a transparent culture of discussion and its lack of understanding of democracy. Nevertheless, we continue to feel the negative influence of the fossil gas lobby on a daily basis through high energy prices and the consequences of the increasingly severe climate crisis. We are therefore calling on the politicians responsible today to stop listening to the whisperers who have brought us these problems and instead drive forward the energy transition with much more determination. This includes the reduction of environmentally harmful subsidies, a renewable gas law with strict sustainability criteria and a mandatory phase-out of fossil heating systems. In addition, industry and the electricity sector should present clear implementation plans on how their plants will succeed in switching to climate-friendly technologies. Only with a joint effort can the energy transition be a success!" says Johannes Wahlmüller, climate and energy spokesman for GLOBAL 2000.
Austria imports billions of euros worth of fossil gas every year. Most recently, 8.2 billion euros (2022) were incurred in import costs for predominantly Russian gas.
In January, 97% of imported gas came from Russia. Two years after the start of the war in Ukraine, this is a devastating assessment of efforts to get rid of Russian gas supplies.
However, it cannot be a solution to sacrifice intact natural areas for gas that we do not need if the energy transition is pursued more resolutely. This is why GLOBAL 2000 clearly opposes the plans to drill for gas in Molln:
"Instead of sacrificing the last intact natural areas to the gas lobby, the energy transition should be accelerated. But while the expansion of wind and solar energy in Upper Austria is progressing far too slowly, gas drilling is still being allowed. The priorities should be exactly the opposite," Wahlmüller concludes.
