Will New State Targets Lead To Reduced Environmental Protection?

Since the beginning of the Second Republic, the Constitution has provided so-called 'state targets', which have guided the government to declare certain interests to be substantial. The targets are broadly diversified and include, for example, state targets on:

• wide-ranging state defence;
• a nuclear-free Austria;
• schools and education;
• securing the independence of broadcasting; and
• sustainability.

The approval procedure for the third runway at Vienna International Airport has now prompted the government to strengthen Austria as a business location. This should be achieved through an amendment to the Federal Constitutional Law on Sustainability¹ which, among other things, contains a state target on creating comprehensive environmental protection.