Mitschrift

There’s no doubt that climate change impacts nature and people and must be stopped. Even though a first global success has been achieved at the Paris climate conference, we need to continue to fight climate change at the regional level too.

Vienna has therefore been implementing the Vienna Climate Protection Programme that includes hundreds of measures in five concrete fields of action to educate people and raise awareness on the topic of climate change.

The Chief Executive Office for the Coordination of Climate Protection Measures focuses its work on a specific topic each year that is put under the auspices of Mayor Michael Häupl.

The focus in 2015 was on "Climate Protection & Education" and brought together all administrative groups of the Vienna City Administration to work together on one specific topic.

The initiative included various activities and was addressed to children, adults, and businesses.

There were interesting and informative events for all age groups including film screenings followed by moderated discussions, information events, and quiz shows.

At the events, caps saying “I am climate smart” were distributed among participants to thank them for their commitment.

“Did you know that you can save up to one tonne of CO2 emissions per year if you take your bike or public transport in the city?”

The mascots – Ms Clever and Mr Smart – accompanied the activities and even had their own video clips.

“Did you know that the industrial production of one kilo of beef causes 90 times more CO2 emissions than the production of one kilo of vegetables?”

The spots covered topics such as mobility, climate-friendly shopping and consumption as well as the preservation of resources.

“Get climate smart and visit the two mascots on www.klimaschlau.wien.at.”

In the end, the people as well as the environment benefit from the smart tips.

Interested citizens of Vienna participated in special guided tours at the Spittelau waste incineration plant on the topics of solar power, waste incineration, and district cooling.

On behalf of the Chief Executive Office for the Coordination of Climate Protection Measures, Climate Alliance Austria showed the puppet theatre “punch and the climate fairy” to present the topics of environmental and climate protection to small children in a playful way.

Film screenings for children, families, or adults were presented together with different cooperation partners and followed by moderated discussions where the audience could share their personal experiences and views on the topic of climate protection.

“Hochschwab is the water reservoir for the second mountain spring water pipeline. The world is changing. The glaciers are the witnesses. They are nature’s thermometers.”

A mix of films, quiz shows and free caps kept kids happy and made them climate smart.

The climate quiz show was on tour in 2015. Children and adults had the opportunity to show what they know about climate protection, energy, shopping, food, and mobility.

The Climate Day in April brought combined climate competency to the city.

More than 300 experts and the interested public met for lectures, workshops, and discussions to exchange know-how about climate change and climate protection. The Climate Day was one of the highlights of the City of Vienna’s 2015 communication initiative “Climate Protection and Education”.

The 16th Climate Day was concluded with a joint boat trip.

The experts of the Chief Executive Office for the Coordination of Climate Protection Measures presented well-founded know-how about climate change in their lectures, workshops, and events. In the framework of the City of Vienna’s Climate Protection Programme they therefore contributed considerably to improving the climate in the city and the entire region.