environment
In order to draw attention to climate change, activists have repeatedly taped themselves to the streets in recent weeks. The protests are to continue in February and new disturbances and actions are also to follow soon in Vorarlberg. Because, according to the Vorarlberg activist Marina Hagen-Canaval, you only stop when demands such as speed one hundred and the fracking ban are actually implemented.
The climate activists of the “last generation” glued themselves to the streets of Vienna in mid-January, causing traffic jams and obstructions. And they are already planning further disruptions and actions for mid-February. In Vorarlberg, these are not yet planned for February, but according to the Vorarlberg activist Marina Hagen-Canaval, it is only a matter of time before they also take place here.
The fact that the protests are not well received by many people in the population does not slow down the climate activists. According to Marina Hagen-Canaval, civil disobedience is not a popularity contest. You don’t do the protests to be loved, but to persuade the government to finally take responsibility and act.
“First success when discussing 100 km/h”
“Many people do not know how serious the situation is and how threatening the climate crisis is. In contrast, the corona pandemic is nothing. Accordingly, measures must be taken here. We demand this from the federal and state governments,” says Marina Hagen-Canaval.
One can already see a success of the protests when the 100 km/h speed limit is discussed in Vorarlberg and the Environment Minister Leonore Gewessler (Greens) brings the ban on fracking across Austria into play. But that’s not enough, so the actions would continue.
According to Hagen-Canaval, only when the first demands such as 100 km/h on the autobahn and no new oil and gas drilling are implemented would they stop. In addition, one wants to see a plan from the federal and state governments on how the self-imposed climate goals and agreements can be met.
Climate activists also active in Vorarlberg
In Vorarlberg, climate activists have repeatedly appeared with campaigns in recent months. In October, for example, members of “Extinction Rebellion” built a five-meter high spider’s web on the Montfort Bridge to symbolically stand in the way of the country’s climate policy and interrupted a state parliament session in mid-December.