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Transport key to climate protection, says traffic club

The transport sector was key to increased climate protection, Austrian Traffic Club (VC�) expert Martin Blum said today (Thurs).

"Transport just devours energy and cancels out improvements in other sectors. Energy consumption has increased by 24 per cent in Austria since 2000," he said, adding that 90 per cent of energy consumed by transport came from crude oil and transport had accounted for 34 per cent of total energy consumption in 2008.

He also warned that Austria would have to spend 600 million Euros on rights to emit greenhouse gases if it was to comply with the goals of the Kyoto Protocol on climate protection.

Blum called for a more ecological tax system that would promote more efficient and more climate friendly means of mobility. He said 2008, when fuel prices soared, had shown that people would make greater use of public transport, bicycles, car-pooling and walking.

As for the government�s electric car offensive, Blum said it would make sense only if electricity came from renewable sources of energy. If it came from fossil-fuel power plants, "the CO2 balance will be the same or even worse than in the case of petrol and diesel fuel," he noted.

Blum also announced that VC� had opened competition for its 2010 mobility prize under the motto "energy.change.mobility."

He said: "Austria�s largest competition for sustainable mobility and efficient transport will focus on projects that will reduce demand for energy in the transport sector."

Use of energy from fossil fuels not only harms the environment but also feeds inflation when the price of crude oil rises.

Inflation in Austria last month was 0.9 per cent, federal statistics agency Statistik Austria said earlier this month, but would have been just 0.6 without the impact of soaring fuel prices that went up by ten per cent year on year.

The government is currently considering how to reduce the budget deficit, and ministers do not rule out an increase in mineral oil taxes � a move that would certainly be met with anger by drivers and motoring associations.

Social Democratic (SP�) Traffic Minister Doris Bures, however, warned such a decision could have the opposite effect since it might reduce "fuel tourism".

The term describes people from neighbouring states crossing the border to fuel their vehicles in Austria since fuel prices there are � despite recent developments � still considerably lower than in most neighbouring countries, according to the Ministry of Economy.

It said earlier this month that the average price of a litre of Eurosuper 95 petrol in Austria on 8 March had been 1.143 Euros, compared to the EU average of 1.295 Euros, a difference of 15.21 cents a litre.

In addition, the average price of a litre of diesel fuel in Austria on that date was 1.038 Euros, compared to the EU average of 1.118 Euros, a difference of 7.98 cents a litre.

The above prices include taxes, but net prices in Austria are also below the EU average. The net price of Eurosuper in Austria on 8 March was 0.468 cents a litre compared to the EU average of 0.504 Euros.

The net price of diesel fuel in Austria on that date was 0.479 cents, compared to the EU average of 0.516 cents.

Austrian Times

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