Criticism of Politics
“Heat Kills More People Than Traffic Accidents”
The excessive heat in apartments, hospitals, and schools is seen as a major failure on the part of policymakers: The Greens, as well as NGOs and experts, are voicing fierce criticism. Vice Chancellor and SPÖ leader Andreas Babler is at least holding out the prospect of an “adjustment.”
New temperature records for the month of June, a newly created Ministry of Housing—but still no improvements in heat protection for tenants. This doesn’t add up for the Greens, who were part of the governing coalition until 2024 and failed to bring about sustainable improvements to the climate. At the very least, the Green Party would have tried to help.
Planting greenery on balconies, purchasing air conditioners—all of this could have been achieved by now. A year ago, they introduced a motion for “climate-just rental law” with concrete proposals in the National Council. In the only Building Committee meeting held since then, it was tabled by the governing parties in December. Since then, there has been a standstill.
“For thousands of people, their own homes are turning into heat traps. Yet the government has once again let an entire year slip by without taking a single step forward on heat protection,” criticizes Green Party housing spokesperson Nina Tomaselli.
Babler Hints at “Adjustments”
Because the climate crisis won’t wait for the federal government to get its act together, the Green Party is now resubmitting the motion. For tenants, it includes measures such as “reasonable structural modifications”—like external shading systems, sun-protective films, or balcony greening—as well as greater legal certainty.
However, air conditioners—which the Greens are pushing for—are often considered “climate killers” even by experts. The Ministry of Housing, led by SPÖ leader Andreas Babler, asserts that “an amendment to the Tenancy Law and the Condominium Ownership Law” is currently being reviewed by the relevant ministries. The goal is to make it easier for tenants to enforce heat protection measures.
Criticism of cuts to climate investments
A belated political awakening, then? In any case, experts are clear that heat and climate protection go hand in hand—and that policymakers have done too little in this area.
Climate protection expert Katharina Rogenhofer from the Kontext Institute told the “Krone”: “In the dual budget resolution, climate investments were slashed massively, while subsidies harmful to the climate remained virtually untouched. That’s the wrong direction.”
Greenpeace Director Alexander Egit is even more blunt: “Heat is now killing more people in Austria than traffic accidents. Yet our cities continue to be overbuilt and are turning into life-threatening concrete jungles. Politicians are failing to protect the soil and are also cutting funding for heat protection. A scandal at the expense of our health!”
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