Vienna Climate Law: A toothless tiger for climate protection?

Vienna Climate Law: A toothless tiger for climate protection?

On February 11, 2025, there will be strong criticism of the new climate protection law, which was passed today in the Vienna City Senate. According to the environmental organization VIRUS, the law is toothless and only a sham. Spokesman Wolfgang Rehm accused the city government of not including important areas such as transport and construction and described the measures as quarter-hearted at best. “It is better to have no climate protection law at all than just a sham,” said Rehm. He called for an immediate update of the 2022 climate roadmap to introduce truly effective changes and to meet the 2040 climate targets, as well as the report confirmed by wien.gv.at.

The background is alarming: 2024 was the hottest year since weather records began in Vienna, with extreme weather events such as heavy rain and periods of drought. The city has set itself the goal of becoming climate neutral by 2040, but implementation remains questionable. The Vienna Climate Roadmap, which is intended to form a binding framework as part of the new climate law, provides for several measures to achieve this goal. Public participation, legal protection and the involvement of science and civil society are also in focus. However, critics emphasize that without concrete measures and the involvement of crucial sectors, the law will only be seen as a token event and urgently needed progress will be hindered.

The city government is pointing towards climate protection, but implementation remains uncertain if harmful infrastructure such as the Lobau Tunnel continues to be relied upon. Although the framework of the climate law offers many positive approaches, such as the clear anchoring of climate goals, skeptics are skeptical as to whether these intentions can also be translated into actions. The pressure is increasing on the city of Vienna to take the necessary steps before the time for effective measures runs out.