Austria’s government says it can meet EU climate targets to halve greenhouse gas emissions by 2030 compared with 2005 levels, Climate Protection Minister Leonore Gefsler said on Tuesday.
After many disagreements, the conservative coalition of the Austrian People’s Party and the Greens has put the finishing touches on a framework and roadmap to achieve the goals. “We are on the road for the first time,” said Gefsler, who belongs to the Greens.
The planned measures include allocating huge financial subsidies for alternative heating, a massive expansion in hydrogen production, and abandoning climate-harming financial subsidies such as tax breaks for car companies.
According to Gevsler, the next government, which will be elected in six weeks, will stick to the plan. “We have a coherent, clear and strict European framework,” the minister said.
Failure to meet the climate target would result in sanctions, including fines, she added. Austria will now send its national energy and climate plan to Brussels. The EU’s goals include reducing harmful emissions and increasing the share of renewable energy to 57% of total final energy consumption.
#Austria #sets #plan #meet #climate #targets