The objectives of the Austrian Strategy for Adaptation to Climate Change
The Austrian Strategy for Adaptation to Climate Change pursues the objective of avoiding adverse impacts of climate change on the environment, society and the economy, and of making use of emerging opportunities. As a nationwide framework for orientation, it is jointly supported by the federal government and the provinces.
Adaptation to climate change is understood to mean initiatives and measures that reduce vulnerability to climate change and/or increase resilience, as well as make use of possible opportunities arising from changed climatic conditions. Due to global warming, Austria is increasingly affected by numerous consequences of climate change, such as the rapid melting of glaciers, thawing of permafrost soils, an increasing number of hot days, longer vegetation periods, an increased risk of forest fires, et cetera. These impacts affect all areas of life in different ways, which is why the Austrian Strategy for Adaptation to Climate Change extends across 14 fields of activity: from agriculture and health to tourism.
Objectives of the fields of activity
The overarching objective is to ensure sustainable, resource-efficient and climate-friendly agricultural production of high quality and sufficient quantity in order to maintain security of supply, as well as to preserve and/or improve the ecosystem services of agriculture and to ensure resilience to changing climatic conditions and their impacts.
The overarching objective is to increase the stability, climate resilience, and adaptability of forests, as well as to secure the multifunctional services of forests and ensure sustainable, climate-adapted management.
The overarching objective is the sustainable protection of water resources as a basis for life and as a habitat for humans, fauna, and flora, as well as ensuring the supply of high-quality drinking water, environmentally appropriate wastewater treatment, the prevention of harmful substances entering groundwater and surface waters, and the strengthening of protection for the population and the landscape against natural hazards under changing climatic conditions.
The overarching objective is to strengthen Austria’s position as a climate-resilient and sustainable tourism destination by utilizing climate change-related opportunities and promoting climate- and environmentally-friendly adaptation measures.
The overarching objective is to ensure the security of energy supply through a systemic overall consideration of the energy system, the reduction of energy consumption, the increase of energy efficiency, the diversification and decarbonization of energy sources, the use of technologies, and the decentralization of the energy system in order to reduce vulnerability to the impacts of climate change.
The overarching objective is to ensure good indoor quality of stay in buildings through planning, constructional, technical, and usage-related adaptation measures for buildings and their surroundings.
The overarching objective is to maintain or improve protection for people, the environment, and assets against natural hazards, taking into account integrated risk management and the impacts of climate change.
The overarching objective is precautionary planning as well as the rapid and professional management of crises and disaster situations, with special consideration of the challenges posed by changing climatic conditions.
The overarching objective is the proactive implementation of appropriate measures to manage and prevent direct (for example from heatwaves) and indirect (for example from the spread of allergenic and toxic plants and animals) health impacts caused by climate change.
The overarching objective is to strengthen the resilience of ecosystems as well as to preserve, improve, and restore biodiversity in order to reduce the negative impacts of climate change on humans and nature and to secure natural livelihoods for present and future generations.
The overarching objective is to ensure a functional, safe, and climate-resilient transport system.
The overarching objective is the consistent application and further development of existing objectives, legal requirements, instruments, and processes of spatial planning to ensure sustainable, climate-resilient spatial development.
The overarching objective is to increase the resilience of production and trade by minimizing climate change-related risks and developing climate-friendly and adaptation-promoting products and services.
The overarching objective is to optimize the quality of life in urban areas under changing climatic conditions by creating and maintaining easily accessible open and green spaces and enhancing their diverse functions.