
A recent study that compared the domestic climate policies of European nations rated Austria as “moderate”.
However, among Austrian people, confidence that the climate crisis can be solved is currently declining, matched by an increase in pessimism. These attitudes are reflected in a study released by the “Mother Earth” initiative, which brings together a coalition of leading environmental organisations in the country.
This study was first carried out in 2020, when 61% of people said they were sceptical about the effects of climate policy. Two years later, this number has risen to 68%. Herwig Schuster of Greenpeace Austria stated that his compatriots were now “less confident that the climate crisis can be solved”. He said that the survey had shown that the groups that are most interested in climate change are the under 30s and the over 50s. Overall, 74% of people say that they are “interested” in the topic of global warming, and a third express they are “very interested”.
However, despite high levels of interests, most people tend to assess their own level of climate protection and the climate crisis quite poorly, with just 15% saying they are well informed, whilst 13% say they know nothing. On the other hand 70% say they are “moderately well informed”.
Yet even though gaps in people’s knowledge may exist, 90% of Austrians say that measures to combat the climate crisis make sense and are necessary, and 60% say that they would support mandatory energy saving measures being introduced by the state.
Schuster, who spoke to Austrian broadcaster ORF about the survey, says that the 2022 climate study therefore gives the Austrian government a clear mandate to act on the question of climate change.
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