Herbert Kickl Rejects Climate Measures Amid Austrian Heatwave

Austrian far‑right leader Herbert Kickl and the Freedom Party (FPÖ) have dismissed the recent heatwave as normal summer weather and criticized the government’s climate‑related policies. Kickl described climate‑related regulations as “climate communism” and warned that measures such as CO₂ pricing and mandatory e‑mobility would raise costs for households and businesses. The party demanded rapid aid for farmers suffering from drought, calling for concrete assistance rather than further observation rounds.

FPÖ policy adviser Heimo Lepuschitz reinforced the party’s stance, citing a 2024 Dutch study that predicts colder European winters if the Gulf Stream collapses, and arguing that climate‑change alarmism is a “religious delusion.” The FPÖ continues to oppose what it calls “climate panic” while urging the government to focus on practical solutions like school air‑conditioning and flood‑defence dams.