Austrian-American actor Arnold Schwarzenegger stated in a message sent to nation’s new leadership that Austria could become “a model” for climate policy.
The famous actor turned politician commended the conservative-green coalition for their efforts for both business and environmental stability at the core of its political agenda.
72-year-old celebrity posted a video message in German on his social media, labelled to Chancellor Seba stian Kurz, from the conservative People’s Party (OVP), and Vice-Chancellor Werner Kogler, from the Green party.
Schwarzenegger, who was born in Austria in 1947, now lives in America and serves as Governor of California for a long time.
The two formations struck a power-sharing deal on January 1, which saw the Greens enter Cabinet for the first time.
The former California governor said in his message delivered in German that the “new government shows that business and environmental protection are not a contradiction, but two important building blocks for climate and environmental protection”.
He added that 2020 “must be a turning point in climate policy” and stressed that “the next few years will be of decisive importance for the protection of the climate and, therefore, for all of us”.
“In California, for example, we have the strictest environmental laws, but at the same time the most successful economy in the US,” he went on.
“Austria can do the same and also be a model,” he added, also announcing that he would travel to Vienna in late May to attend Austrian World Summit, an leadership he set up to promote climate protection.
Austria’s new government has promised to offer the “best of both worlds” by combining policies favoured by Kurz’s OVP including a tight line on migration and a reduction of the tax burden with improved environmental protection wanted by the Greens.