500 people demand: Stop the Lobau Tunnel for green mobility!

500 people demand: Stop the Lobau Tunnel for green mobility!

In Vienna today, September 13, 2025, almost 500 people gathered for a demonstration against the Lobau Tunnel. The participants moved from the Praterstern to the Lobau National Park House to draw attention to grievances in climate and social policy under the motto of a sustainable mobility transition. Nora Haidowatz, spokeswoman for LobauBleibt, was positive about the high number of participants. The Lobau Tunnel is seen by the demonstrators as a symbol of failed climate policy.

Stefan Holly, also a spokesman for LobauBleibt, criticized Austria for continuing to miss its climate targets and instead providing billions for environmentally harmful concrete projects. Hannah Keller, climate spokeswoman for GLOBAL 2000, called for the rapid implementation of climate-friendly solutions and the expansion of public transport. The citizens' initiative Save the Lobau, represented by Jutta Matysek, expressed concerns about the environmental damage of the project and its negative impact on the transport transition.

Protest alliance and future actions

The demonstration was supported by a broad coalition including GLOBAL 2000, Greenpeace, Fridays for Future and many other organizations. LobauBleibt announced that it would plan further protest actions if the cancellation of the tunnel project was revised.

A new environmental report from the Ministry of Climate Protection, published by Greenpeace, shows better alternatives to the Lobau Tunnel. According to this report, the proposed solutions rely on a comprehensive expansion of public transport and the promotion of cycling infrastructure, which would lead to a reduction in soil sealing and traffic volumes. Greenpeace is also calling on the incoming government to delete the tunnel project from the Federal Highway Act.

Climate protection and transport policy in a European context

To illustrate the connection with climate policy, it is worth highlighting the European Green Deal, which includes a comprehensive modernization strategy to reduce emissions in the transport sector. The EU transport strategy aims, among other things, to promote the ecological and digital transformation of mobility. This strategy proposed 82 measures to be implemented by 2023. This includes expanding emissions trading and adhering to stricter CO2 targets for cars and light commercial vehicles.

In addition, the report of the EU directive on improving air quality emphasizes that the minimums for low-emission vehicles are mandatory in public contracts. These requirements have been in force since August 2, 2021 and are part of the long-term strategy to reduce emissions in the transport sector, which also includes the planned infrastructure for alternative fuels.

Overall, the increased protests and critical voices about the current transport policy in Austria show that a rethinking of mobility is necessary. Dealing with the Lobau Tunnel reflects not only local but also global challenges with regard to climate protection and sustainable development. The demands of the demonstrators are clear: a mobility transition that is both ecologically and socially just.

For more information see: OTS, Greenpeace, BMV.