The City of Vienna has become the first federal state in Austria to set a legally binding framework for Vienna’s climate goals, according to TheMayor.EU, a portal that covers smart city projects, innovative and sustainable initiatives from the local governments of the European Union.

European cities’ commitments to achieving climate neutrality even ahead of the overall EU horizon of 2050 is truly inspiring, but as time progresses it occasionally comes to light that the reality proves tougher than well-meaning objectives.

That’s why the Austrian capital, Vienna, has decided to add an extra layer of commitment by making its climate-neutrality goal a legal mandate with the recent adoption of the Vienna Climate Act.

“The City of Vienna is thus the first federal state in Austria to set a legally binding framework for Vienna’s climate goals,” said the city’s Climate Councilor, Jrgen Czernohorszky.

The councillor explained that this step anchors the local model of socially just climate protection with effective
measures and public participation. He, however, added that it was not enough in terms of ambition because the most important thing was for the Austrian federal government to promulgate similar legislation. Hopefully, the local act can serve as a blueprint.

The Vienna Climate Act does not start from scratch. It forms a clear and binding framework for a large bundle of instruments and measures that have already been implemented by the city: be it the climate roadmap, its implementation strategies and measures, or the climate budget.

The Act enshrines the goal of climate neutrality and climate-neutral administration by 2040 and builds on the 3 Cs of the City of Vienna: climate protection, climate adaptation and circular economy.

Source: Emirates News Agency