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#wefixdoomsday: a day against doomsday

aktualisiert am: 30. October 2023

11 min Lesezeit

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Get out of your own bubble and into collaboration!

We are convinced: It is too early to fall into a doomsday mood. But climate change is an immense challenge. That's why it's even more important to roll up the sleeves and get the world moving! For this reason, we brought various stakeholders - entrepreneurs, scientists and activists - together at one table in the Free City for our #wefixdoomsday action day. Because only together can the energy transition be implemented and structural change brought about!

#wefixdoomsday

"The energy transition has many faces. We want to hear the voices to them," explained Head of Sustainability Christina Huber. Therefore, urgent questions surrounding the energy transition were initially discussed in three panels with participants from business, science and activism.

Talk AND Action

“Sustainability is a non-partisan issue. The polarization that is currently happening is slowing down this issue," explained Jakob Sterlich from ClimatePartner in the first panel discussion "Climate Change & Environmental Protection", which was under the question "The energy transition as the ultimate climate protection measure - truth or lie?"

Jakob Sterlich-1

Markus Placho, Head of Software PM, also emphasized in Panel #2 “Digitalization & Technology” with the motto “100% electricity from renewable energy - a no-go without digitalization?”:
“There is no point in trying to convince every single person that climate change is man-made. In the end, it doesn't matter why they buy sustainable technology. We simply need pragmatism.”

In the panel Democratization & Liberalization under the motto “You got the power – energy transition as an opportunity for everyone” solutions for democratic & decentralized energy were discussed.

Magdalena Breitwieser

Magdalena Breitwieser from Scientists4Future and member of the Letzte Generation emphasized: “The research results and many technologies already exist to address the problems. What is still missing is a government that recognizes the problem as such.” And added: “We are fighting against years of misinformation – from lobbying associations and companies.”

Simon Schupp from CLAW (Climate Law) underlined this statement: “Taxes direct people. As long as billions of euros are used annually in Austria to promote behavior that is harmful to the climate, people will behave in ways that are harmful to the climate.” CLAW is therefore committed to a climate-friendly legal system and corresponding framework conditions - and is suing the Republic of Austria for a climate protection law.

Simon Schupp

“Ultimately, it is up to each of us to do something for the energy transition. Thanks to digitalization and concepts such as energy communities, this is now easily possible for everyone in Austria!” emphasized Thomas Nenning (Head of Digital Services at neoom).

“We have a level of prosperity that never existed. And a dissatisfaction that never existed - where it comes from is a mystery to me. And no awareness of the problem. Enormous consumer behavior and throwing things away until you drop won't work in the long run. If we in Austria can’t afford the energy transition, who can?,” summarized Simon Klambauer from KEM (Klima- und Energie-Modellregionen).

WORKshops

In order not only to talk but also to act, solutions to the current challenges were developed together in three workshops - thematically matching the panel discussions - and input and perspectives on current projects and thoughts of the participants were exchanged.

“It requires long-term thinking. But the other crises of our time require short-term thinking because the world is becoming more and more uncertain,” said a participant in the Democratization & Liberalization panel, sharing his thoughts on the energy transition.

Therefore, in the workshops, the participants developed short- and long-term solutions to the challenges discussed:

The participants in the “Climate Change & Environmental Protection” workshop called for communication outside the bubble as concrete measures to get people excited about energy communities, energy efficiency, sustainable mobility and political activism: Avoid didactic communication and instead set a positive example, highlight advantages and make them personal and share experiences. Listening and engaging in dialogue and using simple language should therefore be the motto.

In the digitalization and technology workshop it became clear that short-term measures should be implemented individually, but long-term actions must be supported at a structural level. Therefore, the participants decided to implement electricity storage and energy management systems in private homes as a short-term step. As an action with a long-term impact, electricity storage must be made possible at the energy community level and the legal permissibility of arbitrary feed-in restrictions must be questioned. It is also important to overturn the monopoly position of network operators.

The participants in the Democratization & Liberalization workshop emphasized the importance of the Climate Handprint: In order to advance structural change, it is important to recognize your own levers and mobilize these resources - be it time in the form of active support or money through donations for sustainable actions. Collaborations such as a workshop between neoom and CLAW to address the necessary framework conditions for the energy transition and to derive new projects from them were also considered as concrete next measures.

In order to make communication outside of their own bubble easier, the participants were then able to network together and thus find the right people to implement their ideas and solutions.

Elisabeth Zehetner, Managing Director of oecolution, summarized: "For me, three things are certain regarding the energy transition: Firstly, we must expand renewable energies quickly and unbureaucratically. Secondly, massive investments in storage and networks are needed. And thirdly, digitalization and decentralization must be used as an essential asset.”

At the end of the day of action, Simon Schupp (CLAW) expressed his conviction about the energy transition: “Renewable energy means: It is simply cheaper. And that’s one of the quickest and best ways to reach people so they change things.”