Future Alliance: Citizens demand tangible climate protection solutions

Future Alliance: Citizens demand tangible climate protection solutions

A new initiative called the “Future Alliance” has been launched in Vienna with the aim of bringing about a rethink in climate policy. This movement, supported by the climate referendum, aims to make it clear to the political landscape that change is desired if the population can derive direct benefit from it.

The population's demands are concrete: one vision is a bicycle street at the Vienna State Opera, while the town hall square in Rust on Lake Neusiedl is to be transformed into a green market square. These ideas were presented at a press conference at which the initiators emphasized that climate protection was not a niche issue. “The middle is ready for transformation,” explained Christian Kdolsky, spokesman for the Future Alliance.

Diverse participation and workshops

During the initiative period, workshops were held in 50 communities, with a total of 900 participants taking part. The target group ranged from young families to older mayors. They particularly wanted to appeal to the so-called “adaptive-pragmatic middle”, which, according to pollsters, makes up a large proportion of society. This group is professional and has a strong interest in making changes that improve their lives.

Biodiversity researcher Franz Essl, who acts as a scientific advisor to the Future Alliance, found that public perception of climate policy lags behind the wishes of the population. Citizens want to talk about potential benefits and quality of life rather than focusing on abstract concepts. Kdolsky noted that the word “climate” has come to have negative connotations and that it is more effective to communicate about everyday benefits of climate action.

A central concern of the workshop participants was improving mobility, especially in rural areas. The demand to expand local public transport and promote environmentally friendly alternatives such as car sharing is the top priority. Another wish is for politicians to work more actively and constructively with citizens and to include them in the discourse.

Although many of the proposals are not new, the Future Alliance has the potential to be heard as it aims to bring a new narrative. “We can show that the topic offers political opportunities,” said Kdolsky and hopes that her ideas will be incorporated into federal policy.

The initiative sends a clear message to decision-makers that the population is ready for change, especially if they can benefit directly from these changes. For further information, see a comprehensive report on www.diepresse.com can be viewed.