© Mitja Kobal Greenpeace/ Art installation in Vienna, January 1, 2024 Environmental protection organization warns of increasing weather extremes such as drought in the Amazon – calls for ambitious environmental and climate policy at all levels in 2024
Vienna – 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's Copernicus service. Weather extremes such as heavy rain and heat – exacerbated by the worsening climate crisis – have 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 facing a once-in-a-century drought for months.
At EU level, setbacks were recorded in pesticide reduction in 2023: In November, the majority of EU MEPs 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 reached the final rounds of negotiations despite major obstacles, and The EU has also agreed to the Eco-Design Regulation, which is intended to promote the longevity of products.
For 2024, Greenpeace calls for an ambitious and effective environmental and climate policy at all levels, from the Austrian federal government and nine state governments to the EU Commission and the UN. Laws and agreements must finally be approved and implemented in 2024 and must no longer be delayed or diluted. In Austria, this includes the national soil protection strategy with a binding target value, a strong EU law on forest protection must be implemented at EU level and the international agreement on plastics at UN level.
“An unprecedented drought in the Amazon, heavy rains in Libya and Brazil, forest fires in Greece, heat waves in India and China, among others, disastrous floods around the world: in 2023, the climate crisis has shown its teeth at a global level. It is even more important that we promote climate and biodiversity protection in an uncompromising and courageous way. In 2023, some innovative decisions for the environment have already been taken. At the World Climate Conference, held in Dubai, all countries recognized for the first time that we must abandon fossil fuels. This is a good first step. Now, politicians around the world have to put the turbo on when it comes to phasing out coal, oil and gas,” says Marc Dengler, climate and energy expert at Greenpeace.
=== Environmental setbacks 2023 ===
Drought in the Amazon
In 2023, the largest rainforest on the planet suffered the worst drought since records began. The level of the Amazon River fell by 17 meters. Due to low river levels, hundreds of riverside communities across the Brazilian Amazon were isolated and had only a limited supply of drinking water. Plants and animals – including the pink dolphin – also suffered from the 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 conditions in 2023: heavy rains devastated areas in Libya and Brazil, fires ravaged the Hawaiian island of Maui, Canada and the Mediterranean region, and serious floods hit Carinthia, Slovenia and Italy, among others. Numerous Italian villages and cities such as Grado, Lignano and Venice were affected by the Adriatic floods, in Slovenia several villages were cut off from the outside world by the floods and in Carinthia firefighters were also in constant operation for days.
Dam broke 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, drinking water was contaminated and the ecosystem was destroyed. Large parts of southern Ukraine depend on water supplies from the reservoir. The dam failure – which, according to evidence, was deliberately caused by Russia – dramatically changed the daily lives of the local population: in addition to the war, people now have to deal with a severe water shortage.
Microplastic pollution
Microplastic pollution is increasing around the world – international researchers found the tiny particles in clouds, topsoil and 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 immense pollution, the plastic industry wants to double annual production by 2040. UN states are currently working on a global agreement against the plastic crisis, which is expected to be concluded in 2024.
Soil protection blockade in Austria
Soil protection in Austria was hotly debated in 2023. After ÖVP Chief Minister Norbert Totschnig wanted to wave an ineffective soil protection strategy without a clear soil protection objective, this was avoided thanks to societal pressure civil. But the association of municipalities and numerous federal states such as Upper Austria, Lower Austria and Styria continue to block the 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.
Reapproval of glyphosate for another ten years
In November 2023, the EU Commission decided to approve glyphosate for another ten years – after member states were unable to agree on a common position on glyphosate during voting. 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's poison, therefore, interferes with the soil ecosystem and – especially if the substance is used more frequently – demonstrably affects the living beings that live there. Glyphosate can also cause massive damage to waterways and has a toxic effect on already threatened amphibians. According to the WHO, glyphosate is also a possible carcinogen, studies have shown that it can promote neurological diseases, harm the endocrine system and fertility and cause serious eye damage.
Nonprofit Law
In December, the law on non-profit organizations in Austria was reformed: However, the fundamentally welcome package also contains passages that impose important restrictions on activist organizations. Administrative infractions can lead to the withdrawal of tax deductibility at any time and therefore to financial ruin. In the future, the new law will allow tax authorities to destroy the existence of non-profit organizations with the stroke of a pen, without proper legal procedures. Leading social and environmental protection organizations as well as leading lawyers such as Irmgard Griss and former ÖVP justice spokesperson Michael Ikrath warn of an attack on civil society through the fiscal backdoor.
=== Innovative environmental achievements in 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% of the oceans must be placed under strong protection by 2030. Only then can they continue to fulfill their important role as climate regulators and species protectors. In September, the agreement was signed at the UN General Assembly by more than 80 states, including Austria. The treaty must now be ratified quickly so that the agreed objectives can be quickly implemented.
Renaturalization Law
In 2021, the European Environment Agency concluded 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% of EU land and sea 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 until 2050. Despite attempts by the European People's Party (EPP) to block the nature conservation law, it has so far overcome all obstacles. The European Parliament will now vote on the law in its plenary session in February 2024, followed by approval by national governments in March.
European 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 approved in 1998 has been criticized because it allows fossil fuel companies to pursue measures to phase out coal, oil and gas and thus impede ambitious climate policies. Swedish energy company Vattenfall has invoked the Energy Charter Treaty in its case against the phase-out of nuclear energy in Germany.
Ecodesign regulation: destruction of new clothes is prohibited
After years of work by Greenpeace and other organizations, the EU this year approved a regulation that will ban the destruction of new goods such as clothes 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 Ecological Design Regulation, the EU prohibits this waste of resources. Additionally, specifications are defined for durability and repairability in order to prevent the fashion industry's environmentally harmful disposable business model.
Article posted online by: /Doris Holler/