Environmental Policies
#17Key Findings
Having made notable strides in recent years, Austria falls into the upper-middle ranks with regard to environmental policy (rank 17). Its score on this measure has improved by 0.3 points relative to 2014.
The inclusion of the Green Party in government has helped jump-start environmental policy. Plans are now to cover 100% of energy consumption with renewable sources by 2030, and to reach net zero emissions by 2040. A single-price “climate ticket” allows access to all public transport, and a new CO2 pricing policy has been introduced.
Nevertheless, the country has far to go. Greenhouse gas emissions remain strikingly high, having grown by 5% over the past 30 years. Lobbying has kept the price of CO2 certificates low. Industry and commerce are the largest emissions contributors, with traffic a significant source.
The country produces large amounts of waste, but also has a strong recycling sector. Its record on biodiversity is above average in the OECD context. The Green climate minister is seeking to position the country as a future leader on environmental issues.
The inclusion of the Green Party in government has helped jump-start environmental policy. Plans are now to cover 100% of energy consumption with renewable sources by 2030, and to reach net zero emissions by 2040. A single-price “climate ticket” allows access to all public transport, and a new CO2 pricing policy has been introduced.
Nevertheless, the country has far to go. Greenhouse gas emissions remain strikingly high, having grown by 5% over the past 30 years. Lobbying has kept the price of CO2 certificates low. Industry and commerce are the largest emissions contributors, with traffic a significant source.
The country produces large amounts of waste, but also has a strong recycling sector. Its record on biodiversity is above average in the OECD context. The Green climate minister is seeking to position the country as a future leader on environmental issues.
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How effectively does environmental policy in your country protect and preserve the sustainability of natural resources and environmental quality?
10
9
9
Environmental policy goals are ambitious and effectively implemented as well as monitored within and across most relevant policy sectors that account for the largest share of resource use and emissions.
8
7
6
7
6
Environmental policy goals are mainly ambitious and effectively implemented and are monitored within and across some of the relevant policy sectors that account for the largest share of resource use and emissions.
5
4
3
4
3
Environmental policy goals are neither particularly ambitious nor are they effectively implemented and coordinated across relevant policy sectors.
2
1
1
Environmental concerns have been largely abandoned.
Ecological values have been embraced by virtually all Austrian political parties (not just the Greens). Moreover, as long as protecting the environment is not in immediate conflict with economic growth, the government has promoted environmental policies. But ambiguity and a tendency to think within traditional frameworks that favor economic growth over environmental protection remain.
Due to EU laws (the so-called Eurovignette directive), more international transit and the failure to make railroads a more attractive way to transport goods, Austria has conspicuously failed to decrease carbon dioxide emissions from vehicle traffic. Greenhouse gas emissions have remained strikingly high. As an official report by the Austrian Federal Audit Office from early 2021 suggests, greenhouse gas emissions grew by 5% in Austria over the past 30 years (making the country one of just six EU member states that have failed to achieve any improvement), while during the same period the average for all EU member states reduced by 24%. Industry and commerce remain the largest contributors to carbon dioxide emissions. Economic growth and cheap carbon market certificates for carbon dioxide are the principal causes of the increase in carbon dioxide emissions in this sector. Due to strong lobbying by economic actors, consecutive Austrian governments have failed to control the supply and price of tradable carbon dioxide certificates, contributing to a significant fall in certificate prices.
From 2019 to 2020, Austria’s overall energy consumption decreased by 7.9 percentage points, which was similar to the average score for Europe (7.8 percentage points). The largest reduction was in the category of oil. The per capita consumption of primary energy in Austria in 2020 was the lowest since 2010. The equivalent reduction from 2019 to 2020 was -8.4 percentage points, again slightly better than the European average (-8.0 percentage points). Regarding carbon dioxide emissions, Austria improved as well (with -13.5 percentage points on 2019); again performing slightly better than the European average (-12.3 percentage points).
Further, Austria has a rather large and growing waste generation sector, with the country ranking only 29 out of 41 OECD countries in 2019. However, Austria was among the top three (out of 32) European countries with regard to waste recycling. Nevertheless, the overall material recycling rate remains much less impressive, with Austria ranking 23 out of 41 OECD countries.
The new ÖVP-Green government, which assumed office in early 2020, launched two ambitious national targets. First, 100% of domestic electricity consumption will be covered by renewable energy sources by 2030. Second, the country will achieve climate neutrality by 2040. It remains to be seen whether the government will achieve these targets. Arguably, the single most spectacular measure was the introduction of an annual “climate ticket” in late 2021 (for about €1,100), which allows ticket holders to use all forms of public transport (e.g., trains, buses, trams and subways) across the country. The pricing of CO2 emissions, as stipulated in a major tax reform package introduced in late 2021, despite its perceived shortcomings, marked a step forward. The Greens made their first-time presence in the federal government felt through more isolated decisions. For example, in early December, the Green climate minster spectacularly halted several controversial highway projects (including the Lobau tunnel).
Environmental pollution in Austria continues to be moderate by comparative European standards. Regarding air pollution, and exceedances of nitrogen dioxide (NO2) in particular, Austria was among the half dozen of 22 European countries covered in a report published in 2022 in which road traffic was identified as the only major source of exceedances reported. A report by Statistik Austria from 2021 identified an overall positive trend in the area of environmental pollution. In addition, the government’s environmental and climate policy budget was significantly increased in late 2021, continuing the trend established in 2020.
Concerning biodiversity, Austria continues to operate in the better half of OECD countries, slightly above average, with no major changes having taken place during the period of review. With the country participating in the recently established LIFEPLAN project (launched by the University of Helskink), Austria can be considered to be at the cutting edge of global biodiversity research.
Thus, while some performance indicators continue to be clearly less than satisfactory, it is possible to identify a moderate change for the better.
Citations:
https://www.bp.com/content/dam/bp/business-sites/en/global/corporate/pdfs/energy-economics/statistical-review/bp-stats-review-2021-full-report.pdf
https://www.eea.europa.eu/ims/waste-recycling-in-europe
https://www.rechnungshof.gv.at/rh/home/home/Bund_2021_16_Klimaschutz_in_Oesterreich.pdf
https://www.umweltbundesamt.at/fileadmin/site/publikationen/rep0761.pdf
Klimaschutzbericht 2021:
https://www.umweltbundesamt.at/fileadmin/site/publikationen/rep0776.pdf
https://www.eea.europa.eu/publications/managing-air-quality-in-europe
file:///C:/Users/c4021008/Downloads/kurzfassung_wie_gehts_oesterreich__schluesselindikatoren_und_ueberblick_20%20(1).pdf
https://www.parlament.gv.at/PAKT/PR/JAHR_2021/PK1247/
https://www.umweltbundesamt.at/en/news210519en
Due to EU laws (the so-called Eurovignette directive), more international transit and the failure to make railroads a more attractive way to transport goods, Austria has conspicuously failed to decrease carbon dioxide emissions from vehicle traffic. Greenhouse gas emissions have remained strikingly high. As an official report by the Austrian Federal Audit Office from early 2021 suggests, greenhouse gas emissions grew by 5% in Austria over the past 30 years (making the country one of just six EU member states that have failed to achieve any improvement), while during the same period the average for all EU member states reduced by 24%. Industry and commerce remain the largest contributors to carbon dioxide emissions. Economic growth and cheap carbon market certificates for carbon dioxide are the principal causes of the increase in carbon dioxide emissions in this sector. Due to strong lobbying by economic actors, consecutive Austrian governments have failed to control the supply and price of tradable carbon dioxide certificates, contributing to a significant fall in certificate prices.
From 2019 to 2020, Austria’s overall energy consumption decreased by 7.9 percentage points, which was similar to the average score for Europe (7.8 percentage points). The largest reduction was in the category of oil. The per capita consumption of primary energy in Austria in 2020 was the lowest since 2010. The equivalent reduction from 2019 to 2020 was -8.4 percentage points, again slightly better than the European average (-8.0 percentage points). Regarding carbon dioxide emissions, Austria improved as well (with -13.5 percentage points on 2019); again performing slightly better than the European average (-12.3 percentage points).
Further, Austria has a rather large and growing waste generation sector, with the country ranking only 29 out of 41 OECD countries in 2019. However, Austria was among the top three (out of 32) European countries with regard to waste recycling. Nevertheless, the overall material recycling rate remains much less impressive, with Austria ranking 23 out of 41 OECD countries.
The new ÖVP-Green government, which assumed office in early 2020, launched two ambitious national targets. First, 100% of domestic electricity consumption will be covered by renewable energy sources by 2030. Second, the country will achieve climate neutrality by 2040. It remains to be seen whether the government will achieve these targets. Arguably, the single most spectacular measure was the introduction of an annual “climate ticket” in late 2021 (for about €1,100), which allows ticket holders to use all forms of public transport (e.g., trains, buses, trams and subways) across the country. The pricing of CO2 emissions, as stipulated in a major tax reform package introduced in late 2021, despite its perceived shortcomings, marked a step forward. The Greens made their first-time presence in the federal government felt through more isolated decisions. For example, in early December, the Green climate minster spectacularly halted several controversial highway projects (including the Lobau tunnel).
Environmental pollution in Austria continues to be moderate by comparative European standards. Regarding air pollution, and exceedances of nitrogen dioxide (NO2) in particular, Austria was among the half dozen of 22 European countries covered in a report published in 2022 in which road traffic was identified as the only major source of exceedances reported. A report by Statistik Austria from 2021 identified an overall positive trend in the area of environmental pollution. In addition, the government’s environmental and climate policy budget was significantly increased in late 2021, continuing the trend established in 2020.
Concerning biodiversity, Austria continues to operate in the better half of OECD countries, slightly above average, with no major changes having taken place during the period of review. With the country participating in the recently established LIFEPLAN project (launched by the University of Helskink), Austria can be considered to be at the cutting edge of global biodiversity research.
Thus, while some performance indicators continue to be clearly less than satisfactory, it is possible to identify a moderate change for the better.
Citations:
https://www.bp.com/content/dam/bp/business-sites/en/global/corporate/pdfs/energy-economics/statistical-review/bp-stats-review-2021-full-report.pdf
https://www.eea.europa.eu/ims/waste-recycling-in-europe
https://www.rechnungshof.gv.at/rh/home/home/Bund_2021_16_Klimaschutz_in_Oesterreich.pdf
https://www.umweltbundesamt.at/fileadmin/site/publikationen/rep0761.pdf
Klimaschutzbericht 2021:
https://www.umweltbundesamt.at/fileadmin/site/publikationen/rep0776.pdf
https://www.eea.europa.eu/publications/managing-air-quality-in-europe
file:///C:/Users/c4021008/Downloads/kurzfassung_wie_gehts_oesterreich__schluesselindikatoren_und_ueberblick_20%20(1).pdf
https://www.parlament.gv.at/PAKT/PR/JAHR_2021/PK1247/
https://www.umweltbundesamt.at/en/news210519en
Graph View
To what extent does the government actively contribute to the design and advancement of global environmental protection regimes?
10
9
9
The government actively contributes to international efforts to design and advance global environmental protection regimes. In most cases, it demonstrates commitment to existing regimes, contributes to their being advanced and has introduced appropriate reforms.
8
7
6
7
6
The government contributes to international efforts to strengthen global environmental protection regimes. It demonstrates commitment to existing regimes and occasionally contributes to their being advanced and/or has introduced some appropriate reforms.
5
4
3
4
3
The government demonstrates commitment to existing regimes, but does not contribute to their being advanced and has not introduced appropriate reforms.
2
1
1
The government does not contribute to international efforts to strengthen global environmental protection regimes.
Austria’s approach to global environmental policy has long been full of contradictions. Rhetorically, Austria (i.e., the government, political parties and the media) paints itself as a frontrunner in global governance, from Kyoto to Copenhagen and Paris. In practice, however, the country’s efforts do not support this conclusion. Austria is still proud of its 1978 decision not to use nuclear energy, one of the first countries to do so worldwide. This has become a kind of national narrative, in which Austria is proud to be in the vanguard of enlightened environmental consciousness. Austria tends to lecture others, including its neighbors in Europe, about the need to improve ecological standards. But when it comes to the practical job of reducing carbon dioxide emissions, Austria continues to fall way behind many of its peers.
This particular behavior has also been identified at the level of European environmental policy. A recent study by Buzogány and Ćetković (2021) highlighted that Austrian opposition party members of the European Parliament (along with members from Poland, the Czech Republic and Hungary) have supported their governments in rejecting environmental and climate policy (ECP) legislation. This was seen as proof of broader national resistance to certain ECP legislation, which is likely to persist independent of changes in the party complexion of the government.
Nevertheless, the participation of the Greens in the new government formed in early 2020 and the appointment of a Green climate minister marked a tangible change in Austria’s performance at the international level. Climate Minster Leonore Gewessler (Green) went out of her way to present and position Austria as a future frontrunner at the Glasgow climate conference in late 2021. Specifically, she committed the government to ensuring that Austria would increase its contributions to the international Green Climate Fund from €26 million to €130 million by 2023.
Citations:
Buzogány, Aron & Ćetković, Stefan, Fractionalized but ambitious? Voting on energy and climate policy in the European Parliament, Journal of European Public Policy, 28:7 (2021), 1038-1056, DOI: 10.1080/13501763.2021.1918220
https://www.kleinezeitung.at/international/klima/6055426/Ministerin-Gewessler_Oesterreich-soll-in-Glasgow-als
This particular behavior has also been identified at the level of European environmental policy. A recent study by Buzogány and Ćetković (2021) highlighted that Austrian opposition party members of the European Parliament (along with members from Poland, the Czech Republic and Hungary) have supported their governments in rejecting environmental and climate policy (ECP) legislation. This was seen as proof of broader national resistance to certain ECP legislation, which is likely to persist independent of changes in the party complexion of the government.
Nevertheless, the participation of the Greens in the new government formed in early 2020 and the appointment of a Green climate minister marked a tangible change in Austria’s performance at the international level. Climate Minster Leonore Gewessler (Green) went out of her way to present and position Austria as a future frontrunner at the Glasgow climate conference in late 2021. Specifically, she committed the government to ensuring that Austria would increase its contributions to the international Green Climate Fund from €26 million to €130 million by 2023.
Citations:
Buzogány, Aron & Ćetković, Stefan, Fractionalized but ambitious? Voting on energy and climate policy in the European Parliament, Journal of European Public Policy, 28:7 (2021), 1038-1056, DOI: 10.1080/13501763.2021.1918220
https://www.kleinezeitung.at/international/klima/6055426/Ministerin-Gewessler_Oesterreich-soll-in-Glasgow-als