Greenpeace Warns of Future Water Shortages

Greenpeace Warns of Future Water Shortages

A waiter pours water in a Viennese cafe, WienTourismus/Paul Bauer

 

Some 471 municipalities across Austria face a significant risk of severe water shortages by 2050, according to an analysis conducted by Greenpeace Austria.

The organization attributed the future shortages to climate change in a press release on Thursday, emphasizing that measures could still be taken to reduce the threat.

The analysis highlighted regions where insufficient groundwater could pose challenges for public water supply, industry, and agriculture during dry periods, potentially leading to conflicts over water usage.

Of the affected municipalities, more than half – totaling 288 – are located in Lower Austria. Styria has 82 affected municipalities, Tyrol 54, Burgenland 38, and Upper Austria 8. At-risk regions also include Vienna, as well as Linz, Innsbruck, and St. Pölten.

However, the Ministry of Agriculture criticized the findings, asserting they lacked a scientific foundation.

Monika Mörth, head of the ministry’s water section, stated: “Drawing a direct link between individual groundwater bodies and the water supply of the municipalities above them is technically incorrect.” She pointed out that Vienna’s water has historically come from the Alps, not from groundwater.

Greenpeace urged Agriculture Minister Norbert Totschnig (ÖVP) to “implement a genuine water protection plan before the national elections.”

“Scorching heat, dried-up lakes, and bathing ponds turned into small mud puddles. The past two summers have shown that droughts are increasingly shaping our country. More and more fields are affected, causing our food to wither due to water shortages,” remarked Sebastian Theissing-Matei, an agricultural expert at Greenpeace Austria.

Austria will hold parliamentary elections on September 29th. They will determine the composition of the country’s next government and its policies. Read our guide to the elections here: Austria’s Main Political Parties Explained

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