MFG-Krautgartner: “When expanding wind power, nature is being destroyed under the pretext of climate protection.”
The MFG has in Upper Austria. The state parliament submitted an urgent initiative motion against the expansion of wind turbines in areas worthy of protection. No other group approved the motion. “The system parties shift responsibility onto the municipalities and hide behind EU regulations,” criticizes LAbg. Manuel Krautgartner, MFG-OÖ club chairman.
The members of the MFG Club in the Upper Austrian state parliament have submitted an urgent initiative motion that is directed against the expansion of wind turbines in areas that are particularly worthy of protection. Specifically, the application requires that the Upper Austrian In the course of implementing the Renewable Energy Directive (EU) 2023/2413 (“RED III”), the state government is removing the existing taboo zones in accordance with Section 12 Paragraph 2 Upper Austria. ElWOG 2006 as well as those in the “Oö. The exclusion zones defined in the Wind Power Master Plan 2017 are bindingly defined as sensitivity zones that must be kept free of wind turbines. RED III is an EU directive that is intended to accelerate the expansion of renewable energies and poses a major threat to nature and the environment.
The justification for the application is based on the following key considerations and factors:
– In Section 12 Paragraph 2 Upper Austria. ElWOG 2006 stipulates that the minimum distance from large wind turbines to residential areas must be 1,000 meters. This minimum distance is essential because wind turbines represent a significant disruption due to their height and also because of the light-shadow effect. In fact, around 90% of the area in Upper Austria is already excluded from use for wind power due to these settlement protection regulations.
– In addition, the construction of large wind turbines significantly changes the landscape. There are particularly unfavorable conditions for wind power in Upper Austria, as the systems have to be relocated to untouched and scenically valuable areas due to structural usage conditions (e.g. settlement density, dispersion of development). This shift would not only have a visual impact, but would also affect animals and plants. Habitats and connectivity corridors for wild animals are massively disrupted or completely destroyed.
– Another key point is the impact on tourism. Untouched landscapes play a key role for tourism in many regions of Upper Austria. The construction of wind turbines would affect these important tourist attractions and thus bring economic disadvantages for the region.
– In addition, the wind map from the European Space Agency shows that Upper Austria is not a particularly windy country. Compared to Austria as a whole, the potential is low to extremely moderate. Given this low efficiency of wind power expansion in Upper Austria, the aspects of nature and environmental protection must be assessed all the more urgently and seriously.
Taking all of these factors into account, the MFG demands that the defined taboo and exclusion zones be bindingly designated as sensitivity zones in order to ensure the long-term protection of nature and the landscape. LAbg. Manuel Krautgartner, MFG-OÖ club chairman: “There is constant talk about ‘climate protection’ and ‘energy transition’, but the most important thing is often forgotten: the protection of our nature. When expanding wind power, nature is being destroyed under the pretext of climate protection. I am committed to real and honest protection of our homeland and nature.
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None of the others in Upper Austria. The parliamentary groups represented in the state parliament were able to approach the proposal – not even the FPÖ, although it always claims to be critical of the expansion of wind power. The MFG is the only political force in Upper Austria that is truly committed to nature and environmental protection and against the expansion of wind power. “To honestly and consistently represent a point of view that goes against a common narrative takes courage – the FPOÖ obviously doesn’t have that
,” emphasizes Manuel Krautgartner.
The state government and state parliament in Upper Austria do not want to take responsibility and are pushing the issue of wind power expansion entirely onto the communities. With regard to RED III, they justify themselves by saying that it is an EU regulation that must be implemented. “Incredible! The system parties are wiping their hands off a supranational organization and the communities,” criticizes Krautgartner in conclusion. LAbg. Joachim Aigner, MFG-Austria federal party chairman, can only shake his head: “This approach is absolutely unacceptable. It shows once again how little sense of responsibility there is among decision-makers. Instead of protecting nature and our homeland, communities and citizens are left alone. An honest commitment to environmental and nature conservation looks different.
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Questions & Contact:
MFG State Parliament Club Upper Austria
(+43 732) 7720 – 17402
press-you@mfg-oe.at
www.klubmfg-ooe.at