Initial situation and objectives
The consequences of this land take are significant: loss of soil functions such as filtering and storage capacity as a basis for drinking water supply, loss of agricultural production areas for food production and biodiversity, increased flood risk due to soil sealing, reduced dust retention, and heat effects caused by reduced evaporation.
In Austria, land consumption amounted to 42 square kilometre in 2020, which is approximately the size of Eisenstadt. Daily land consumption has been reduced from around 24 hectares in 2010 to currently around 11.5 hectares. However, much more needs to be done to achieve global and European sustainability and climate protection targets.
Advice
The Austrian Federal Government has therefore set the goal of reducing land consumption to 2.5 hectares per day by 2030. Achieving this target requires a comprehensive set of measures at various levels.
Brownfield redevelopment aims to reduce land consumption
The mobilisation of brownfield sites plays a central role in combating land consumption. The term “brownfield site” has so far not been given a uniform definition either in the Austrian or German context.
Advice
In the absence of a uniform terminology, brownfield sites are understood as previously developed plots, areas, and buildings or parts of buildings that are currently no longer used or are not used in accordance with the potential of the location. Vacant residential units are not considered brownfield sites according to this definition.
A significant development potential lies in derelict commercial and industrial sites. Relevant studies confirm that Austria has considerable potential in this area (3,000 to 6,000 sites or more than 8,000 hectares). By revitalising these areas, part of the annual demand for land could be met and new developments on “greenfield” sites could be avoided.