Warning green: homicide pesticide demand endangers the environment and health!

Warning green: homicide pesticide demand endangers the environment and health!

Österreich - The debate about the use of pesticides in agriculture and the associated regulations increases in intensity. On June 24, 2025, Olga Voglauer, the agricultural spokeswoman for the Greens, commented critically about the demands of the Minister of Agriculture Norbert Tettschnig. Voglauer pointed out that the increase in pesticide use and the relaxation of the deforestation regulations cannot represent the correct solutions to combat the climate crisis and monocultures. She emphasized that several environmental and harmful pesticides have already been taken out of approval, which underlines the need to find new approaches.

Voglauer also pointed out that the return to lighter admission procedures for chemical-synthetic pesticides could have far-reaching consequences for the environment. In this context, she notes that the proportion of fluorized substances has increased under pesticides in recent years, which leads to an increased stress on soil, water and ultimately human health. These points are also documented in a report by the Federal Environment Agency, which shows that PFAS-containing pesticides contain the ground and leave dangerous residues over the food chain that damage non-target organisms.

criticism of agricultural policy

Another point of criticism concerns the minister's agricultural policy proposals. Voglauer was particularly disturbed by the request to regulate vegetable food through the use of names such as "burger" instead of actively promoting the vegetable diet. This is in contrast to the findings of the state of affairs on climate change, which emphasizes the importance of a nutritional turnaround towards more vegetable products for climate protection.

The State Secretary of Health Königsberger-Ludwig called for the same rules for imported and European food in this context. Nevertheless, Voglauer criticized the lack of perception of the increasing use of PFAS pesticides in Austria and Europe. The need for more transparency regarding the use of such harmful substances in the food sector was also emphasized.

demands for alternatives

The Greens bring applications to the parliamentary agricultural committee, which require a ban on Pfas pesticides and a comprehensive implementation of the design regulation. Voglauer underlined the urgency of promoting research projects that deal with alternatives to chemical pesticides and to ensure increased support for organic agriculture. Climate change has a significant impact on agriculture, which also emphasizes the need for sustainable practices.

climate change already affects global agriculture by threatening production in many parts of the world. Pests and diseases change their distribution and crop yields can decrease. In developing countries, a significant part of the population depends on agriculture, while the number is far lower in industrialized countries. The increase in the world population by three billion by 2050 requires an increase in agricultural production, which will be impossible without sustainable practices. Artificial fertilization and the use of pesticides will play a greater role in this context, but the focus must be on the compatibility with the environment.

Overall, agricultural policy is responsible for taking suitable measures in order to secure both agricultural productivity and to protect the environment. The discourse on pesticides is only an element in a multi -layered problem that affects the future of nutritional security and climate.

The following links can be visited for further information: OTS , Environmental Bundesamt , BildungsServer .