Schwarzenegger praises Viennese: You are the climate protection heroes!”

Schwarzenegger praises Viennese: You are the climate protection heroes!”

Arnold Schwarzenegger thanked the passengers of the Wiener Linien in a heartfelt announcement today. The actor and environmental activist, who traveled to Vienna for the ninth edition of his “Austrian World Summit” climate protection conference, described the Viennese as “true climate action heroes”. As “Chief Mobility Officer Arnold Schwarzenegger,” he highlighted the importance of public transportation for a healthy planet. According to Süddeutsche, reducing the city's ecological footprint is a key concern.

But why are Öffis (public transport) so important? It's simple: they only account for 1% of the city's ecological footprint, and each passenger who doesn't use a car can save up to 1.5 tons of CO2 in a year. In addition, Vienna subway trains with a capacity of 900 people are compared to 790 cars that would be needed for the same number of passengers. A clear win for the environment, as Wiener Linien underlines.

Public transport as part of the solution

Surprisingly, 34% of trips in Vienna are already made using public transport. Without this, a whopping 24 lanes would be required on the southeast bypass if everyone drove their cars. And the majority – around 80% – of public transport users already rely on electric means of transport that are powered by electricity from renewable sources. These trends are crucial if you want to tackle climate goals.

In its current analysis, the Federal Environment Agency shows that the transport sector in Germany is responsible for around 146 million tonnes of CO2 equivalents and contributes around 22% to greenhouse gas emissions. There is an urgent need for action here, because emissions from transport must be reduced by at least 40% by 2030 compared to 2005 in order to achieve the climate goals. The focus on public transport is part of a larger strategy that should also include a transport transition, as described on Umweltbundesamt.

A contribution to our future

Schwarzenegger not only calls for mobilization against climate change, but also actively supports the use of public transport as an environmentally friendly alternative to individual car journeys. “This not only brings benefits for the environment, but also contributes to a better quality of life in the city,” is how his message could be summarized.

At a time when climate protection is of utmost importance, it is evident that prominent figures such as Schwarzenegger are also encouraging the public to make the changes necessary to ensure a positive future for our planet. The questions we need to ask ourselves are: Are we ready to walk this path together? And what can we as individuals do to do our part?