Sustainability in Austria
Sustainability in Austria as it is managed at the moment by the Austrian “ministry of agriculture, forestry, environment, water management and food” can be seen as a part of the European Union’s Sustainable Development Strategy that was first presented in 1999 in Gothenburg. According to the paper concerning 14 paragraphs of sustainable development each member of the European Union should implement its national sustainability strategy and report to the European Council. (Lebensministerium, 2009)
The following gives a short overview on the main-achievements and implementations of the Austrian Nation in terms of sustainability as they were reported to the Council (Lebensministerium, 2007):
· Climate change and clean energy:
o Foster reduction of energy use in households including passive houses, increasing energy efficiency, re-set feeding-in tariffs for privately produced solar energy…
o Clean Energy in Industry and transport by raising amount of biofuels, fostering decrease of usage of personal transport and increase of public transports, optimization of use of water power, raise of mineral oil tax etc.
o Creating labels such as klima:aktiv to enhance the knowledge and experience in sustainability matters of the people
· Sustainable transport:
o Private vehicles: diesel particle filters for new cars raised to 77% (via standardized consumption tax), alternative engine cars to be raised to 5 %
o Public transport: raise importance of train system by improving logistics “easy travelling”
o Induce model projects and sustainable management consulting such as: Alpine Awareness, eco-friendly destination Werfenweng, klima:aktiv mobile guidance programmes, Fuel saving workshops…
o Other aspects of sustainability: reduction of noise pollution, safety in traffic
· Sustainable consumption and production
o Awarding products (worth € 250 mio. Turnover) with Austrian ECO-Label to create Sustainability USP and raise awareness for sustainable products
o Invest in sustainable tourism and education (eg. Consumer Education) concept
o Support Austrians Organic Farmers who comprise of 15 % of the Farmland
o Think Global – Act Local
· Conservation and management of natural resources
o Creating an Action Plan for Increasing the Efficiency of Resources
o Implementing sustainable forest management via the Austrian Forest Act including planning, recording and integrated induction (Biodiversity, Water…)
o Running a Biodiversity Commission, Managing Natura 2000 areas…
o Improving Water Framework Directive by managing water bodies and water basins, setting standards
o Sustainable Waste Management: Waste commissioners in medium/big sized companies, Reduction/Reuse/Recycle
o Programme for genetic resources, Agro-environmental programme, Green Pact (Development of rural areas)
· Public health
o In terms of promoting healthy food consumption, prevention measures, compliance with EU chemicals policy
· Social inclusion
o Equal rights on labour markets for female and male, young and old
o Labour training initiatives by AMS (Labour market service)
o “Reduction of poverty and social exclusion, with regard to child poverty”
o Sustainable provision of social services to people
· Global challenges
o Raising Austria’s ESD-share for official development assistance to poorer countries to 0,6%
o Internationally promote clean energy and reduce use of nuclear power plant power
o Reduce use of toxic chemicals, standardize chemical products in products
These implementations and goals show that Austria has tried ambitiously to take further steps towards sustainability within all the 3 pillars of sustainable development. Yet, one problem seems to be the discrepancy between setting ambitious goals and do enough to reach them – not reaching the Kyoto goal for CO2-emission reduction of 13 % from the basis year 1990 by 2010 is one major example. (Wirtschaftsblatt, 2007)
What is more, as far as my knowledge can approve, a lot of Austria’s measures for sustainability bring along negative aspects within other areas. For instance have promoting and subsidizing Biofuel and Bioenergy such as pellets and use of farmland caused tremendous difficulties for traditional users such as the internationally very successful Austrian wood plate-industry. As a reaction of the subsidies for bioenergy second class wood prices have been indirectly artificially raised and the wood plate producers face themselves competing for raw materials against new users of second class wood for burning and producing energy.
Still as a final statement I would like to point out that the government has eagerly tried to communicate the importance of acting in a sustainable way to the people via the Media – something which is in my opinion the most powerful measure to achieve goals in that field and something that should be taken even more serious. Austria will only be able to substantially contribute to a more sustainable world if every single Austrian sees facing and fighting our environmental-, social- and economic problems as one of his major roles in society.
Used Sources:
Lebensministerium (2009): EU-Nachhaltigkeitsstrategie – Start in Göteborg; in: http://www.nachhaltigkeit.at/article/articleview/72520/1/26470/ [14.07.2011]
Lebensministerium (2007): Umsetzungsbericht zur EU-SDS; Implementation report oft he EU – Sustainable Development Strategy; in: http://www.nachhaltigkeit.at/filemanager/download/39475/ [14.07.2011]
Wirtschaftsblatt – „Austrian Newspaper for Economic Issues” (2009): Peinlich: Nur Österreich schafft das Kyoto-Ziel nicht; in: http://www.wirtschaftsblatt.at/home/schwerpunkt/dossiers/klimaschutz/peinlich-nur-oesterreich-schafft-das-kyoto-ziel-nicht-397435/index.do [17.07.2011]
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