Exciting topic

Nature conservation now causing a political heatwave

Are the moors in the Waldviertel intact? The Greens believe they are more a case for the Renaturation Act.(Bild: Horst Dolak)

Those who had hoped for a quiet summer in the government district are disappointed: weather-related sweating is apparently not enough - state politics is also getting into a frenzy: "renaturation" is the buzzword!  

No sooner have federal politicians worked their way through the now infamous EU renaturation law than Lower Austrian state politicians have discovered this playground for themselves.

Accusation of blockade
Green Party leader Helga Krismer is calling on the ÖVP to abandon its "constant blockade attitude" in this matter: "Being against renaturation is short-sighted and damages the future of the country," rages the frontwoman of the ecological party.

Renaturation offers so many opportunities to protect our soils, rivers and biodiversity with EU funding. This must not be allowed to fail because of the outdated thinking of the concreters' faction.

Helga Krismer, Klubobfrau der Grünen im Landtag

Counterattack follows on the heels
Naturally, the reaction from the ÖVP headquarters in St. Pölten's Ferstlergasse is not long in coming. When it comes to environmental protection, "no pretentious green proposals are needed", countered Matthias Zauner. And the ÖVP's regional managing director analyzes: "A regulation that was not supported by many European countries such as Italy, the Netherlands, Belgium, Sweden, Finland or Poland cannot be a good compromise."

We in Lower Austria stand for environmental protection with common sense. We have two national parks and are currently campaigning for a third with the Kampwald forest.

Matthias Zauner, Landesgeschäftsführer der ÖVP

Concerns about moors and rivers
Krismer doesn't look too far afield: "50 percent of the moors in the Waldviertel are severely affected, and some of the rivers in our province are in a poor state. The water balance in the Weinviertel is also at risk." And she criticizes the "unbridled concreting over of fertile areas" in the vast country.

Hundreds of millions of euros
Zauner, of course, does not accept any of this. 500 renaturation projects have already been implemented in Lower Austria and 350 million euros have been made available for this: "And 200 million euros have been earmarked for flood, climate and environmental protection in the state budget for the next two years." Krismer nevertheless insists: "Lower Austria needs this law in order to implement a sustainable nature conservation policy."