Climate battle in Vienna: Greens reveal Lobau remains excavator against tunnel construction!

Climate battle in Vienna: Greens reveal Lobau remains excavator against tunnel construction!

Laimgrubengasse 10, 1060 Wien, Österreich - The planned establishment of the Lobautunnel in Vienna ensures violent controversy. Transport Minister Leonore Gewessler from the Greens has stopped the controversial measure and triggered a furious public protest, while civil and political organizations praise this decision. Gewessler and the party leaders of the Greens Vienna, Judith Pühringer, unveiled a banner with the call "Lobau" at a press conference and criticized the tunnel as a "fossil monument", which is ecological, healthy and financially unreasonable, as the environmental report of the Federal Environment Agency confirmed, mentioned. Exxpress reported that the ÖVP finance minister also emphasizes the relevance of the project, since it is important for the relief of the residents and the strengthening of the location. The controversial infrastructure project is an essential part of the Vienna Foreign Ring-Schnellstraße (S1), and critics argue that the failure of the tunnel could have negative consequences for the quality of life and employment in eastern Austria.

Conflict between climate protection and infrastructure

The actor of this debate is the green Minister of Climate Protection itself, who has to assert herself against a storm of polarization. In the past, Gewessler has celebrated the "brave Minister of Transport in the Republic", but now many politicians are questioned by their decision. While the Greens score in the environmental debate, representatives from business and politics felt disadvantaged by stopping the construction work, with the Vienna Chamber of Commerce President Walter Ruck describing the importance of the Lobaut tunnel for Vienna as "essential". The ARBÖ and the ÖAMTC warned of possible traffic jams and the dissatisfaction of the citizens due to the decision of Gewessler. It remains to be seen how this conflict between environmental activism and infrastructural necessity can be solved.