Citing high costs, president of Austria cancels travel to COP30

“The costs particularly high for logistical reasons for the participation of the federal president in this year’s COP, in addition to the Austrian delegation of negotiators, are not contemplated in the restricted budget of the Presidency,” said the statement issued by the Austrian public station Orf.

The Austrian Office, however, endorsed the defense of the Brazilian government that the capital of Pará has “great symbolic value”. “For the first time, the world conference on the climate will take place in the tropical forest region, whose destruction is an important factor in the global environmental and climate crisis,” he said.

Austria’s largest environmental protection organization, Global 2000, also decided not to attend the meeting.

Despite the absence of Van der Bellen, the European country will be represented by Austria’s Climate and Environmental Protection Minister Norbert Totschnig. “It’s more important than ever giving a clear sign of international cooperation in climate protection,” the folder told Orf program, Zib2.

Austrian vehicles also point out that a four -lane highway that cuts the forest is being built to improve vehicle flow during the event. The Government of Pará states that the project is sustainable and had already been bid before Belém’s definition as the conference’s headquarters.

Brazil is pressured to find solutions

The shortage of accommodation in Belém, which had never hosted an event of this magnitude, has been a matter of concern as long as the city’s choice as a COP30 headquarters a year and a half ago.