Environment Minister under fire for ‘tasteless’ tattoo stunt
Environment Minister Leonore Gewessler is facing criticism for offering up free climate tickets for tattoos.
At the Frequency Festival in St. Pölten, Gewessler offered that anyone who volunteered to have one of ten subjects tattooed on their skin promoting Environment Ministry initiatives would receive a free KlimaTicket for a year.
Scharfe Kritik an Aufreger-Aktion hält an, SPÖ will jetzt Hintergründe erfragen. https://t.co/Fqlf5EYb60
— oe24.at (@oe24at) August 23, 2023
About six people volunteered to have the text ‘KlimaTicket’ tattooed onto their forearms, receiving a free ticket with an almost €1,100 value.
Social Democratic (SPÖ) MP Julia Herr called the campaign ‘tasteless’ and has requested the ministry provide further information detailing its costs.
“Minister Gewessler comes up with crazy ideas where young people literally have to sell their skin for €1,000,” she said.
READ ALSO: EXPLAINED: How does Austria’s KlimaTicket work?
Carinthia hit again by thunderstorm flooding
After a deluge of constant rain in early August washed out roads and led to hundreds of evacuations, Carinthia is facing flooding danger again from recent thunderstorms.
The town of Obergottesfeld already saw large mudslides and debris damage several homes in the area on Wednesday.
Murenabgang in Obergottesfeld nach starkem Gewitter
In Obergottesfeld führte ein heftiges Gewitter mit Starkregen zu einem Murenabgang und erheblichen Verkehrsbehinderungen.https://t.co/zm2WeXN1la
— Daili.at (@daili_at) August 24, 2023
Crews remain on alert with meteorologists forecasting severe thunderstorms for much of the country on Thursday, stoked by the current heatwave.
Weather experts don’t expect the current system to leave the country – ending the heatwave and associated thunderstorms – until Saturday.
READ ALSO: How southern Austria is battling flooding days after heavy rain
Austrian start-up scene sees big drop in investment cash
The start-up sector in Austria in the first half of 2023 saw a 60 percent decline in investment versus the same time last year, according to an Ernst & Young report.
The sector saw about €356 million pumped into it in the first six months of 2023.
The report blames rising interest rates, inflation, and economic uncertainly for the drop.
It also finds that the Austrian start-up scene remains male-dominated, with only about 18 percent of venture capital going to founding teams with at least one woman on them.
Thursday weather
Much of the country remains under a heat warning until the weekend.
Austria will see highs around 33 or 34C for Thursday, with the possibility of thunderstorms coming in Thursday evening.
The western parts of the country near Salzburg and Innsbruck may cool below 30C on Friday, with Vienna remaining hot and above 30C into the weekend.
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