Publication of the Ref-NEKP – Press Conference on 9 September 2019

How can Austria successfully transition to a near-greenhouse-gas-emission-free and climate-resilient economy and society by 2050, in line with the Paris climate targets?

Since April 2019, over seventy experts in climate and transformation research — particularly from the Austrian climate research network CCCA and the Climate and Air Quality Commission of the ÖAW — have been working, out of personal scientific commitment, on a document aimed at helping to answer these questions: the "Reference Plan as a Basis for a Scientifically Sound National Energy and Climate Plan for Austria that is Consistent with the Paris Climate Targets (Ref-NEKP)". The current consolidated version is now available.

Invitation to the press conference (press release 4.9.2019)
Invitation & contacts for the press conference (press kit 9.9.2019)

Assessment of party positions
of the six primary electoral parties (listed alphabetically: FPÖ, GRÜNE, JETZT, NEOS, ÖVP, SPÖ) regarding how far their climate policy positions align with the scientific Ref-NEKP in terms of framework measures and objectives as well as sector-specific policy packages:
Information sheet: assessment matrix of party positions
The parties were invited to submit their positions by 20 September 2019. In parallel, an independent group of students identified the (publicly available) positions. The assessment was carried out by a scientific expert consortium (8 people). The results (assessment tables & background information) were published by the Ref-NEKP Steering Committee via a press release on 25 September 2019 and can be found here.

Supplementary information for the press conference (infographics, documents)
Paris climate target pathway — an illustrative reference target pathway for Austria (jpg 935 kB)
Past emission trends of EU-28 countries — robust trends 2010s vs 1990s (jpg 952 kB)
EU graphic: climate neutrality by 2050 — emission development in a 1.5°C scenario (jpg 876 kB)
EU brochure "Our goal: climate neutrality by 2050 (long-term strategic vision)" (pdf 1.8 MB)

Critical Assessment of the Austrian National Energy and Climate Plan, Bruxelles 18 Sep 2019 (slides) English

Further information (Scientists for Future):

Scientists for Future statement with 24 climate facts and references (de/en) and academic articles on the statement in Science (April 2019) and Gaia (issue 2/2019)
Scientific contributions by Scientists for Future on: "Extreme events 2019" and "Questions on the introduction of CO2 pricing"