Global warming worries Austrians more than Corona – Austria –

In a poll conducted in June, about 60 percent of respondents spoke in favor of anchoring climate protection as a national goal in the federal constitution. 57 percent are in favor of greening the tax system.

However, around a quarter of the more than 1,000 representatives surveyed doubt that politicians really take concrete action against climate change. “The survey results show a greater sense of responsibility among Austrians. The number of people who want to take climate protection measures in their private lives has increased compared to the previous year,” said study author Nina Hampl of the Klagenfurt University.

“More and more people, probably due to current restrictions and working from home, are consciously refraining from using their own car or choosing vacation destinations that do not require air travel,” said co-author Robert Sposato of the university. Klagenfurt. The survey was carried out jointly with WU Vienna, Deloitte Austria and Wien Energie.

Respondents would like concrete measures to combat global warming, especially in the transport sector. While 50 percent supported the introduction of kerosene taxes across the EU last year, 58 percent of respondents now agree. Most also support CO2 import tariffs for products that do not meet national environmental standards.

“Even in the crisis, 43 percent can imagine buying an electric car. This is evidence of the growing popularity, which is reinforced by the growing selection and growing range of models,” said Deloitte expert Gerhard Marterbauer. “The new subsidy for electric cars that took effect in July has also had a positive effect and will stimulate the auto industry again in a sustainable way.” However, the interest in electric cars is initially more theoretical: in the first half of the year, 4,805 new electric cars were registered, that is, 4.2 per cent of all new cars.

“Now we have to set the right course in politics and invest in business,” said Wien Energie CEO Michael Strebl. “More subsidies for electric mobility and the implementation of simplifications already planned in this way, for example for electric charging points in garages, are an important first step.”