3.1 Vienna’s climate governance and efforts to raise climate awareness

Vienna is the first federal province of Austria to legally embody climate-relevant goals within its own sphere of competence through the Vienna Climate Act which includes such instruments as the Climate Check for acts and ordinances, the Climate Check for construction projects, the Climate Budget or Climate Alliances. The act is scheduled for adoption in the first half of 2025. Moreover, the Vienna Climate Act also provides for the regular evaluation and updating of the Vienna Climate Guide.

As the overarching framework strategy, the Smart Climate City Strategy Vienna (German acronym SKCSW) constitutes another essential basis of Vienna’s climate governance. This document was adopted by the Vienna City Council in 2022; it is subject to periodic monitoring.

The Climate Budget published as an appendix to the City of Vienna’s budget estimate identifies the climate-relevant projects envisaged for implementation during the upcoming period. To be able to plan a sufficient number of climate policies, an upstream internal process within the City Administration sets suitable thematic focuses. Further internal specifications to be implemented through municipal orders are underway.

To further strengthen the “third C” of the Vienna Climate Guide – the circular economy –, fundamentals and strategic focuses for resource conservation in Vienna will be developed in 2025 by means of a cross-sectoral approach.

The development of climate awareness and climate-related skills is supported by internal training within the City Administration, exchange events and networks but also by projects that attract public interest, such as the “Wien macht gutes Klima” (Vienna Creates a Good Climate) climate website, the Climate Campus and Climate Tour or participatory formats, e.g. the Vienna Climate Team. The integration of gender aspects into climate policy is another key requirement to ensure that climate policy measures will become effective for the benefit of all people living in Vienna. The artistic-interactive setting of the Vienna Climate Biennale 2024 provided an inspiration to find common responses to the climate crisis and launch new ideas for a liveable future.

The Vienna Climate Council composed of representatives of science, politics, the economy and civil society advises Vienna’s City Government on the formulation of climate policy projects.

The Climate Pioneer City Partnership with the Federal Republic and other intensely motivated Austrian pioneer cities serves as a learning environment on the path to climate neutrality – from the municipal district level to the highest echelons of the administration.

The Director’s Office for Climate Affairs is a management unit headed by Andreas Januskovecz as Director for Climate Affairs. It is charged with steering Vienna’s climate-related instruments in cross-cutting fashion.

Highlights:

• Vienna is the first federal province of Austria to adopt its own Climate Act

• The Vienna Climate Budget is a tool that assists in the planning of climate-relevant measures

• The Vienna Climate Check for construction projects evaluates whether Vienna’s climate goals are taken account of in municipal construction projects

• The Vienna Climate Check for acts and ordinances evaluates their effects on climate-relevant areas

• The Smart Climate City Strategy Vienna serves as the overarching framework strategy

• Evaluation and updating of the Vienna Climate Guide

• Vienna Climate Alliances for co-operation ventures between the City of Vienna and local enterprises

• Strategy for Vienna’s path to resource conservation and the circular economy

• Development of climate awareness and climate-related skills

• The Vienna Climate Council advises the City Government on climate-related issues

• Vienna is a Climate Pioneer City

• Establishment of the Director’s Office for Climate Affairs