Free climate set for 18-year-olds: what comes now!

Free climate set for 18-year-olds: what comes now!

Österreich - In Austria, the free climaticket Ö for 18-year-olds is discontinued. This measure is part of the budget consolidation, which the federal government considers necessary to achieve savings. The Ö climatic set was originally introduced by the previous government in July 2024, but was only able to win 25,000 users aged 18, which corresponds to a low usage rate of around 25% in the entire country. Tickets that have already been issued keep your validity up to the printed date.

The changeover not only affects the climate for 18-year-olds, but is also accompanied by other austerity measures. As today.at, the climate bonus is canceled, while the climate remains continued. The price of the Klimaticket Ö is 1,179.30 euros per year, with a reduced price of 884.20 euros for people under the age of 26, over 65 years and to people with disabilities. Around 300,000 people currently use the ticket.

savings plans of the federal government

FPÖ finance spokesman Hubert Fuchs and ÖVP club chairman August Wöginger informed about the details of the savings plans developed as part of the coalition negotiations. Further decisions include halving the mileage for motorcycles and the drastic reduction in bicycles. These measures should relieve the public budget.

In addition, the aim is to restrict the additional rooms for unemployed people, which could result in savings of around 82.5 million euros. Another aspect of budget consolidation concerns the valorization of federal fees that have not been increased since 2020, which will lead to higher costs for a driver's license and admission certificate.

Green budgeting and climate protection

A central component of the current budget strategy is the integration of climate and environmental protection according to the concept of green budgeting. This procedure is considered essential for the efficient connection of budget development and climate policy. According to [bmf.gv.at] (https://www.bmf.gv.at/themen/klimapolitik/green_budgeting/green_begeting-/integration_von_staatshaushalt_und_Klima --und-undweltzielen) should serve to meet the needs of today's generation without the resources to endanger future generations. It also includes the evaluation of the environmental contributions from budget positions and policies in relation to specific performance indicators.

By developing its own green budgeting method, Austria aims to support compliance with national, international and international climate and environmental goals. A systemic approach is required that takes into account various aspects such as support and transfer measures as well as tax and regulatory policies.