Graz Declaration
“Starting a new era: clean, safe and affordable mobility for Europe”
On October 29 and 30 the Environment and Transport ministers of the European Council met in Graz, Austria. The informal meeting was dedicated to sustainable mobility and the ministers emphasized the importance of a global transition to a low‑carbon and climate‑resilient society.
“The fact that the environment and transport ministers are holding a joint meeting is an important sign that the huge task that is climate protection can only be solved in conjunction with the issue of mobility”,said Minister Elisabeth Köstinger and Minister Norbert Hofer, who currently chair the Council meetings in the respective areas of environment and transport.
“We must guarantee people’s mobility on the one hand, while on the other hand finding and developing ways to make that happen without endangering our environment”, said Elisabeth Köstinger and Norbert Hofer.
The Graz declaration clearly expresses the need for sustainable transportation and calls on member states and the European Commission to step up their efforts by quickly implementing clean mobility measures in order to sustainably improve the health and quality of life of European citizens in both cities and regions.
The declaration calls for actions from the member states that should promote clean, sustainable and low carbon technologies, complying with the principle of technology neutrality, and promoting options such as alternative fuels and electro mobility.
It is clear from the text, that Gas Powered Mobility complies with the conditions put forward by the ministers in the Graz declaration. “Funding and financial incentives at EU and national level should be used to provide support for accelerating the market introduction of low- and zero-emission vehicles, infrastructure and services for alternative fuels.” The increased use of biomethane also falls under the requested actions by the member states: “Further developing decarbonised sustainable fuel options in Europe and raising the share of renewable energy in transport while strengthening security of supply and the competitiveness of European industry”.
For a copy of the Graz Declaration please request it to: [email protected]