The climate is changing, worldwide and in Austria, with serious consequences. In recent years alone, we've seen numerous new records — the warmest years in Austria's 250-year measurement history are 2014, 2015, 1994, 2016, and 2007. Globally, the years 2015 and 2016 brought new historic highs of carbon dioxide (CO2) in the atmosphere as well as new temperature records, a steadily rising sea level, and a worsening of extreme weather events (as the current drought in the Horn of Africa demonstrates).
Climate protection as an opportunity for a sustainable economy and way of life
The board of the Austrian research network Climate Change Centre Austria (CCCA) highlighted in a press release on Tuesday the scientifically established link between the globally rising concentration of greenhouse gases, global warming, and its wide-ranging impacts, and appealed to policymakers to quickly make decisions that are of long-term importance for Austria. "Climate protection and economic progress are not mutually exclusive — quite the contrary," says CCCA Chair Gerhard Wotawa. "It's not just about Austria fulfilling its international responsibility as a partner to the Paris climate protection agreement; it's also about seizing early on the many opportunities that arise from this for a highly developed economy like Austria. A cross-sectoral, coordinated approach is essential for a credible transformation to a climate-neutral social system. In the context of climate protection and adaptation, new industries and many new jobs will emerge in the coming years. Let's make sure they emerge here in Austria!"
Austria can become a pioneer in climate protection
Swift political decisions, based on scientific findings, are needed to enable a climate-sustainable future for Austria. The measures adopted by Austria so far do not cover the necessary and expected contribution towards achieving the global 2°C target, let alone the 1.5°C target.
Institutional, economic, social, and knowledge barriers are slowing progress on climate protection and climate change adaptation. An integrative and constructive climate policy can also help address other current challenges — which is why representatives of the climate research community are appealing to policymakers and all political parties to take the issue of climate change off the table as a matter of political dispute. It is a core concern of the climate community to work consistently alongside politics, business, and society on the necessary transformation!
Austrian science provides the foundation for policy and business
Austrian research institutions play an important role in this development, said Wotawa: "We see the core tasks of the Climate Change Centre Austria as bringing together established findings from science and research and making them accessible for questions from the public and decision-makers. In recent years, CCCA has worked hard to develop new forums for exchange between science and society." CCCA has, for example, produced the "Austrian Assessment Report on Climate Change", the most comprehensive collection of scientific facts on the topic of climate change in Austria to date. In addition, the CCCA Data Centre was set up — a freely accessible platform with high-quality research data. The service centre brings together scientists, decision-makers in public administration and business, as well as civil society. Recently, a "Science Plan" was also developed as a guiding framework for domestic climate research, divided into five thematic areas — "Climate change, influencing factors and manifestations", "Impacts on the environment and society", "Adaptation", "Mitigation" and "Societal transformation processes" — which is also intended to provide orientation for research funding bodies.
Appeal: Let's work together for our future
Helga Kromp-Kolb, climate researcher at BOKU and co-founder of CCCA: "It is important to CCCA to use the expertise of its members to support the dialogue between science, decision-makers, and society even more intensively. The goal must be to develop options for action together — options that can turn the greatest challenge society will face in the coming decades — the question of how we can preserve our planet as a liveable space for all people — into an opportunity for a more sustainable Austria."
Coverage of the appeal:
<link http: derstandard.at meteorologe-klimawandel-manifestiert-sich-lokal external-link-new-window external link in new>Climate change manifests itself locally (03 June 2017, derStandard.at)
<link https: science.apa.at rubrik natur_und_technik oesterreichischer_klimatag_forscher-appell_fuer_klimaschutz sci_20170523_sci39391351436195254 external-link-new-window external link in new>Austrian Climate Day: Researchers' appeal for climate protection (23 May 2017, APA)
