“On January 12, 2025, Carinthians will vote on how to deal with wind power in their federal state. Unfortunately, the question is tendentious and the discussion in advance is characterized by misleading statements. If the FPÖ and the Carinthian team were honest, they would have to ask the population: Should Carinthia become Austria’s open-air museum when it comes to energy supply? “We have to do something to counteract that,” explains Olga Voglauer, member of the National Council and state spokeswoman for the Carinthian Green Party, in the press conference about the planned wind power referendum in Carinthia, and adds: “The fact that the FPÖ is concerned about the destruction of our nature, the mountains and Using Almen as a reason for the questioning is absurd. And the fact that the Alpine Club supports the free fairy tale hour must also be questioned. For me, love of home means being proud of what the region has to offer and what is produced here. When it comes to food, we insist on self-sufficiency and are proud of our regional products. Why things should be different when it comes to energy is inexplicable to me.”
Lukas Hammer, MP for the Green Party, agrees: “Wind power offers enormous advantages for our energy security, our economy and our environment. And yet a culture war is being waged against them that has rarely been seen. Of course, every planned project must be checked for ecological compatibility, that is beyond question. But what is being propagated here by the FPÖ and its allies is far from reality. We must not play nature conservation and climate protection off against each other. The energy transition is a necessity; it reduces our dependence on expensive, climate-damaging energy imports such as coal, gas and oil or nuclear power and actively contributes to the preservation of natural habitats.”
But the energy transition is also an important location factor. The availability and price of energy are central questions when it comes to whether companies can invest in Carinthia and produce competitively. Carinthia imports almost 10,000 GWh of fossil energy and, depending on market prices, spends between 500 million and one billion euros annually. “This means an incredible drain on purchasing power from Carinthia. Money that could be much better invested in domestic renewables, where jobs and added value remain in the country,” explains Hammer.
“Where is a clear positioning of the SPÖ and ÖVP? Where do they express themselves? Where is the information flow of well-founded data and facts for the people of Carinthia that will make an informed decision possible in the referendum in six weeks?” Voglauer criticizes the state government’s approach and demands: “The state government must provide clarity on the topic and about it, how you want to deal with the referendum and its results.”
Finally, Voglauer appeals: “There is a lot at stake on January 12th. A ban on wind power will throw us back into the fossil fuel age at full speed. Carinthia needs a tailwind. In the interests of a future worth living, the only logical consequence can be to vote no to the wind power ban on January 12th!”
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