2023-12-28 05:00:32
Environmental protection organization warns of increasing weather extremes such as the drought in the Amazon – calls for ambitious environmental and climate policy at all levels in 2024
Vienna (OTS) – After an eventful year, Greenpeace Austria takes stock of the environment: 2023 was a year of extremes. It is the hottest year in 125,000 years, according to the EU service Copernicus. Weather extremes such as heavy rain and heat – exacerbated by the worsening climate crisis – affected millions of people and devastated entire areas of the world. One of this year’s losers is once again the Amazon, which has been experiencing a once-in-a-century drought for months.
At the EU level, setbacks in pesticide reduction were recorded in 2023: In November, a majority of EU MPs voted against the EU pesticide reduction law. The EU Commission also decided to approve the carcinogenic spray glyphosate for another ten years. But some environmental successes were also achieved in 2023: after many years of negotiations, the UN community of states signed the High Seas Protection Agreement. The EU Renaturation Act made it into the final rounds of negotiations despite major hurdles, and the EU also agreed on the Ecodesign Regulation, which is intended to promote the longevity of products.
“An unprecedented drought in the Amazon, heavy rain in Libya and Brazil, forest fires in Greece, heat waves in India and China, among others, disastrous floods worldwide: in 2023, the climate crisis showed its teeth globally. It is all the more important that we promote climate and biodiversity protection uncompromisingly and courageously. In 2023, some groundbreaking decisions for the environment have already been made. At the World Climate Conference in Dubai, all countries recognized for the first time that we must turn away from fossil fuels. This is a good first step. Now politicians around the world actually have to put the turbo into action when it comes to phasing out coal, oil and gas,” says Marc Dengler, climate and energy expert at Greenpeace.
For 2024, Greenpeace is calling for an ambitious and effective environmental and climate policy at all levels, from the Austrian federal and nine state governments to the EU Commission and the UN. Laws and agreements must finally be passed and implemented in 2024 and must no longer be delayed or watered down. In Austria, this includes the national soil protection strategy with a binding target value, a strong EU forest protection law must be implemented at the EU level and the international plastics agreement at the UN level.
=== Environmental setbacks 2022 ===
Drought in the Amazon
In 2023, the planet’s largest rainforest experienced the worst drought since records began. The level of the Amazon River fell by 17 meters. Due to the low river levels, hundreds of river communities throughout the Brazilian Amazon were isolated and had only a limited supply of drinking water. Plants and animals – including the pink river dolphin – also suffered from a lack of water. Greenpeace Brazil delivered food, water and other basic resources by air to affected communities in the Amazon.
Floods in Slovenia, Carinthia and Italy
It wasn’t just the Amazon that was the scene of extreme weather in 2023:
Heavy rain devastated areas in Libya and Brazil, fires raged on the Hawaiian island of Maui, in Canada and in the Mediterranean region, and severe floods hit Carinthia, Slovenia and Italy, among others. Numerous Italian villages and towns such as Grado, Lignano and Venice were affected by Adriatic floods, in Slovenia several villages were cut off from the outside world by flooding and in Carinthia the fire brigade was also in constant operation for days.
Dam burst in Ukraine
In June 2023, the Nova Kakhovka dam in Ukraine was destroyed – with serious humanitarian and ecological consequences. The floods swept away people, animals and entire houses, the drinking water was contaminated and the ecosystem was destroyed. Large parts of southern Ukraine depend on the water supply from the reservoir. The breach of the dam – which, according to evidence, was deliberately caused by Russia – has dramatically changed the everyday life of the local population: In addition to the war, people now have to cope with an acute water shortage.
Microplastic pollution
Microplastic pollution is increasing worldwide – international researchers found the small particles in clouds, in arable soil and in organs such as the heart or brain in 2023. Greenpeace examined seven swimming lakes in Austria for microplastics this summer. Here, too, microplastics were found in all water samples in the laboratory. Despite the immense pollution, the plastic industry wants to double annual production by 2040. The UN states are currently working on a global agreement against the plastic crisis, which is due to be concluded in 2024.
Soil protection blockade in Austria
Soil protection in Austria was hotly debated in 2023. After the leading ÖVP minister Norbert Totschnig wanted to wave through an ineffective soil protection strategy without a clear soil protection goal, this was prevented thanks to pressure from civil society. But the association of municipalities and numerous federal states such as Upper Austria, Lower Austria and Styria continue to block ambitious soil protection. Not only the record construction in Austria, but also the dubious land deals of some decision-makers clearly show that land consumption in Austria urgently needs to be more strictly regulated.
Re-approval of glyphosate for another ten years
In November 2023, the EU Commission decided to approve glyphosate for another ten years – after the member states were unable to agree on a common position on glyphosate during the vote. Glyphosate is a total herbicide: it destroys weeds and robs pollinators and other insects of their food sources. The spray not only kills plants on the surface, but also affects fungi and microorganisms in the soil. The plant poison therefore interferes with the soil ecosystem and – especially if the substance is used more often – demonstrably affects living beings that live there. Glyphosate can also cause massive damage to waterways and has a toxic effect on already endangered amphibians. According to the WHO, glyphosate is also a possible carcinogen, studies have shown that it can promote neurological diseases, damage the endocrine system and fertility and cause serious eye damage.
Non-profit law
In December, the non-profit law in Austria was reformed: However, the fundamentally welcome package also contains passages that impose major restrictions on activist organizations. Administrative violations can lead to the withdrawal of tax deductibility at any time and thus to financial ruin. In the future, the new law will allow tax officials to destroy the existence of non-profit organizations with the stroke of a pen without proper legal proceedings. Leading social and environmental protection organizations as well as top lawyers such as Irmgard Griss and the ÖVP’s former justice spokesman, Michael Ikrath, warn of an attack on civil society through the tax back door.
=== Groundbreaking environmental achievements 2023 ===
High Seas Protection Agreement
After nearly two decades of negotiations, the United Nations finally agreed on a treaty to protect the high seas in March. The agreement is a great success and an important sign that environmental protection can triumph over profit interests and geopolitics. The agreement created the framework to achieve the 30×30 goal. This states that at least 30 percent of the oceans must be placed under strong protection by 2030. This is the only way they can continue to fulfill their important function as climate regulators and species protectors. In September, the agreement was signed at the UN General Assembly by over 80 states, including Austria. The treaty must now be ratified quickly so that the agreed goals can be implemented promptly.
Renaturation Act
In 2021, the European Environment Agency found that 81 percent of protected ecosystems in the EU are in poor or deficient condition. The Renaturation Act introduced legislation in 2023 to restore 20 percent of the EU’s land and marine areas by 2030 and all degraded areas by 2050. The law is a central part of the “Green Deal”, which aims to make the EU climate neutral by 2050. Despite attempts by the European People’s Party (EPP) to prevent the nature conservation law, it has so far overcome all hurdles. The European Parliament will now vote on the law in its plenary session in February 2024, followed by approval by national governments in March.
EU Commission announces withdrawal from the Energy Charter Treaty
After member states such as Germany, France and Spain had already decided to withdraw, the EU Commission announced in July that it would withdraw from the Energy Charter Treaty as a whole. The treaty passed in 1998 was criticized because it allows fossil fuel companies to sue against measures to phase out coal, oil and gas and thus prevent ambitious climate policy. The Swedish energy company Vattenfall invoked the Energy Charter Treaty in its lawsuit against Germany’s nuclear phase-out.
Ecodesign regulation: destruction of new clothing is prohibited
After years of work by Greenpeace and other organizations, the EU passed a regulation this year that will ban the destruction of new goods such as clothing and shoes in the future. In Austria, every fourth package is a return; research shows that unsold goods are sometimes disposed of. With the new Ecodesign Regulation, the EU prohibits this waste of resources. In addition, specifications are set for durability and repairability in order to stop the environmentally harmful throwaway business model of the fashion industry.
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Questions & Contact:
Marc Dengler
Climate and energy expert
Greenpeace in Austria
Tel: +43 (0) 664 881 722 05
E-Mail: marc.dengler@greenpeace.org
Julia Karzel
Press spokesperson
Greenpeace in Central and Eastern Europe
Tel.: + 43 (0)664 881 722 51
E-Mail: julia.karzel@greenpeace.org
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