klimaaktiv as a flagship initiative

klimaaktiv – the Climate Protection Initiative of the Federal Government – supports individuals, companies, and municipalities in Austria in implementing effective climate protection.
klimaaktiv brings together well-founded expert knowledge, practical tools, and a strong network. Together with other federal initiatives, such as the Climate and Energy Fund, funding agencies or research programs, as well as practitioners, klimaaktiv offers easily accessible and comprehensive information and support services.

Structure

klimaaktiv targets private individuals, companies, municipalities, professionals, and people involved in climate education. This target group focus is supported by the klimaaktiv programs within the Austrian Energy Agency. Together with various institutions and companies throughout Austria, they implement klimaaktiv on an operational level. klimaaktiv is financed and managed by the responsible federal ministries for environmental and climate protection, energy, and mobility.

Mode of Operation and Objectives

klimaaktiv operates in a variety of ways: from awareness-raising measures for the broader population, to standards and guidelines incorporated into training by many providers, to a wide range of tools related to climate protection and the energy and mobility transition.
The initiative's goal is to contribute to the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions, the dissemination of climate-friendly practices, and the increase of market shares for climate-friendly solutions of high and verified quality – all through targeted and effective measures tailored to different audiences.

Climate Protection in Practice

The Ministry for Climate Action and the Environment, through its klimaaktiv offerings, addresses in particular private individuals, municipalities, and people working in the field of climate education.

klimaaktiv supports private individuals (in German only) in making their homes and daily lives more climate-friendly and energy-efficient. The program provides comprehensive information on topics such as energy-efficient renovation, heating system replacement, photovoltaics, repair tips, and sustainable consumption. The goal is to reduce energy consumption, save costs, and increase living comfort – for a sustainable way of life.

For municipalities, klimaaktiv offers a nationwide network that supports cities and towns (in German only) in implementing measures for increased climate protection and the energy transition. The focus lies on concrete tools and strategies, such as the climate relevance tool for municipal administrations. This tool enables municipalities to assess the impact of their projects on the climate and thereby reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Concrete support services help build climate-friendly infrastructure and implement targeted climate protection measures.

The klimaaktiv Settlements and Neighborhoods (in German only) program provides a central instrument for planning, managing, and ensuring quality in municipalities through its standard for settlements and neighbourhoods. This standard defines the key areas of action required for the planning, realization, and operation of livable and climate-resilient settlement and neighborhood structures.

klimaaktiv Heating Plants and District Heating Networks (in German only), on the other hand, focuses on the heating transition. The program offers support for strategic heat planning and the efficient expansion of heating networks. Municipalities benefit from practical expertise, flexible supply solutions, and the opportunity to utilize local renewable energy sources.

The climate education area (in German only) is aimed primarily at all those who communicate about climate protection and the energy and mobility transition, who activate and motivate people, and who act as multipliers – whether in municipal administrations, companies, educational institutions, or privately at the dinner table. Through communication tips, guidelines and webinars, infographics, or teaching materials, this area addresses the important question of how to communicate the most pressing issues of our time in a way that suits the target audience.

Since 2021, 13 Austrian companies have been pursuing the ambitious goal of reducing their CO₂ emissions by more than 50 percent (compared to 2005 levels) by 2030 as part of the klimaaktiv Pakt2030 (in German only). In absolute numbers, this goal means a reduction of over 8.4 million tons of CO₂ by the year 2030. This corresponds to the average annual greenhouse gas emissions of more than 146,000 passenger cars or 57,000 oil heating systems in single-family homes.
Upon joining the klimaaktiv pact, partners enter a structured annual process to optimize their operational climate protection strategies, which they will implement by 2030. To truly achieve the planned reduction in greenhouse gases – and thereby not only support but exceed the national climate protection goal – a broad package of corporate measures is required. The direct dialogue with the BMLUK helps ensure that experiences from implemented climate protection measures can be incorporated into political decisions.