Vienna commits to ending gas heating by 2040
Summary and headline written by AI from the source article. How we work
Vienna, Austria became the first European capital city to sign the Greenpeace “Gas-Free Cities Declaration”, committing to eliminate fossil gas from its heating systems by 2040.
Climate City Councillor Jürgen Czernohorszky signed the declaration, reinforcing the city’s plan to transition to 100 percent renewable energy for heat. Czernohorszky stated that relying on domestically produced energy will ensure stable prices and a secure supply for residents, as opposed to dependence on international gas markets.
The city has already begun initial steps with its “Get Out of Gas” program and the Vienna Heat Plan 2040, which are designed to support this transformation. Vienna also connects the phase-out of gas with efforts to protect residents from rising temperatures, promoting heat pumps that can both heat and cool buildings. Greenpeace welcomed Vienna’s commitment and is encouraging other European cities to sign the declaration, which requires cities to set specific phase-out targets and prioritize renewable energy.
Vienna aims to achieve climate neutrality by 2040, building on existing initiatives like the Vienna Climate Roadmap and the Vienna Climate Act, though Czernohorszky also requested further support from the national government to adjust related laws and speed up the transition.
