Austrian climate strategy
The Austrian Climate Strategy 2007 was adopted by the Council of Ministers on March 21, 2007 .
The Climate Strategy 2007 contains all the important measures to achieve the goals of the Kyoto Protocol ( United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change UNFCCC, Additional Protocol Kyoto Conference 1997). Under the Kyoto Protocol, the Republic of Austria has committed to greenhouse gas - emissions to reduce in the years 2008 to 2012 by 13 percent compared to 1990 levels.
Previous results of Austria's climate protection policy
In the 2006 Climate Protection Index , Austria was ranked 28th out of 53 countries examined. In the Climate Protection Index 2007 (as of November 13, 2006) Austria ranks 39th out of 56 countries examined.
The Austrian Climate Strategy 2002 was in force until the Council of Ministers passed a resolution on the Austrian Climate Strategy 2007. Greenhouse gas emissions rose by around 18 percent by 2005 compared to 1990. In 2005, emissions were around 14.2 million tons higher than in 1990 and around 24.4 million tons higher than the target set in the Kyoto Protocol. This means that Austria will have to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by around 15.4 million tons between 2008 and 2012.
Measures to achieve the goals of the Kyoto Protocol
There are two main ways to do this. The first main path is the further development of climate protection technologies. The second main path comprises the measures for climate strategy adaptation.
Further development of climate protection technologies
The intensification of research and development in the design of innovative technologies to reduce greenhouse gas emissions is the focus of efforts. Internationally, Austria works as a member of the International Climate Technology Initiative (CTI) with other European countries to achieve a global reduction in greenhouse gas emissions.
Development of climate protection technologies in Austria
In the last few years, 90 percent of the funds have been used to promote the environment . For 2007, for example, € 90.2 million was planned for environmental funding.
Funding priorities in the field of renewable energies and energy efficiency are:
- Biomass - district heating
- Individual biomass plants
- Biomass combined heat and power
- Solar systems (in particular thermal solar systems ).
Development of new green electricity technologies to reduce CO 2 emissions
Around two thirds of the electricity supply in Austria comes from hydropower . Because of the slowdown in hydropower expansion and the simultaneous increase in electricity consumption, the importance of other forms of renewable energies is increasing. According to the EU directive for renewable energies, Austria must achieve a quota of 78.1 percent electricity from renewable energies by 2010.
The amendment to the Green Electricity Act of June 2006 contains a further increase in the target to 10 percent for green electricity . The amendment also includes an improvement in incentives to increase efficiency, a cost cap and an annual degression.
Medium-sized hydropower plants are subsidized as well as new industrial combined heat and power plants. The aim is to increase the efficiency of the generation of green electricity.
Market penetration of climate protection technologies with the help of klima: aktiv
klima: aktiv is an initiative for climate protection that was initiated by the Ministry of Life in 2004 and taken over by the Federal Ministry for Climate Protection, Environment, Energy, Mobility, Innovation and Technology in 2020 . klima: aktiv is designed for the long term. By 2012, active action in climate protection should become a matter of course for everyone. The main programs are:
- klima: aktiv energy programs
- klima: active mobile.
Support for climate protection technologies abroad
Austria supports climate protection technologies abroad with a program. The main components of the program are the purchase of emission reduction units and the financing of intangible services for the corresponding projects. The Environment Minister has concluded agreements with numerous states to improve the implementation of the projects.
A total of € 289 million is available to finance the program. A further increase is necessary in order to achieve the objectives of the Kyoto Protocol.
Development of future technologies for climate protection
With the existing innovative technologies that are already ready for the market (especially renewable energies and energy efficiency), the potential must be further exploited. To reverse the trend in greenhouse gas emissions, the new technologies must be applied more extensively. This is particularly true for micro-combined heat and power systems and for climate-efficient, intelligent building materials.
The timely development of further future-proof technologies for the areas of transport, energy supply and efficient energy use is urgently required. The existing programs and initiatives in Austria for research and development in the fields of energy, environmental and transport technologies must be further developed.
Measures to adapt the climate strategy
The adaptation of the climate strategy extends to the areas that contain the greatest deviations from the targets of the Kyoto Protocol and in which the lowest economic costs have to be expended to reduce emissions.
This applies in particular to the entire energy and transport sector. This also applies to the areas that cause the majority of greenhouse gas emissions in Austria.
Action area energy
The energy measure area includes space heating and small consumption, energy generation and use as well as energy efficiency in industry.
The most important measures in the field of energy are:
- Increase in overall energy efficiency in building management, use of renewable energies in building management, efficient district heating
- Implementation of the Combined Heat and Power Directive
- Continuation of green electricity subsidies
- Increase in energy efficiency and use of renewable energies in industry.
Traffic area of action
Greenhouse gas emissions in the transport sector have increased by around 83 percent in recent years. The main reason for this is the increasing traffic and transport performance.
The most important measures in the field of transport are:
- Development and use of climate-friendly drive technologies
- Increased use of biofuels
- Improving efficiency in freight transport
- Expansion of public transport while increasing its attractiveness.
Agriculture area of action
In 2005, methane emissions from agriculture amounted to 4.1 million tonnes of CO 2 equivalent . The emissions of nitrous oxide can be lowered by reducing the use of nitrogen fertilizers .
The main measures in the field of agriculture are:
- Further reduction in nitrogen fertilization
- Shortening the transport routes through regional marketing
- Increase the production of bioenergy .
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- ↑ Climate Protection Index 2007 ( Memento of the original from April 30, 2007 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice.
- ↑ Austrian Climate Strategy 2002
- ↑ Austrian Climate Strategy 2007, page 20
- ↑ Austrian Climate Strategy 2007, pages 29-43
- ↑ Austrian Climate Strategy 2007, pages 44-64
