PROJECT DESCRIPTION
BACKGROUND
Large-scale environmental projects often lack sufficient focus on the future impacts of climate change, and the results of successful projects may not be sustained if climate change continues. Austria has seen a considerably higher mean temperature increase (2C since around 1850) than the global average (0.9C). Further increases in temperature are expected in the coming decades, with more heat days, heavy rain and periods of heat and drought. Furthermore, large cities like Vienna suffer from heat island effects. In previous years, environmental and climate mitigation objectives dominated the climate change debate. To cope with climate change and safeguard project investments, adaptation aspects must now be integrated into the overall city planning strategies.
OBJECTIVES
LIFE EnCAM's goal is to show how large environmental projects can integrate climate change adaptation requirements. It aims to achieve this via the following specific objectives:
Enhancement of climate change resilience measures in the project area by: o Creating a better microclimate to ensure long-term ecological success; o Reducing urban heat island effects; o Adapting the ecological system of the river Liesing to climate change; o Improving the potential for recreation; and o Increasing the Vienna city administrations competence in the field of climate change adaptation measures and raising publicawareness of climate protection; and Introduction of climate-orientated green public procurement (GPP): selecting products and services which add climate effects indirectly (e.g. climate-relevant award criteria/specifications/contract clauses). The project will help implement the 2018 Austrian strategy for adaptation to climate change, as well as a range of EU policy and legislation, namely: the EU strategy on adaptation to climate change, the Water Framework, Floods, Habitats and Birds directives, the EU Biodiversity Strategy, the IAS Regulation and the green infrastructure strategy.
RESULTS
Expected results:
Measures to adapt selected river sections to progressive climate change: o Constant shading at selected river sections and CO2-absorption of some 50 tonnes/year by 650 newly planted trees; o Decreased heat island effect (minimum 1C lower average air temperature in June-August); o Increased biodiversity; and o Improved attractiveness for recreation (e.g. 3 km shaded cycling path); GPP concept integrating climate-orientated criteria (demonstrated in three public procurement cases): carbon footprint of purchased goods and services reduced by 50%, irrigation for new plants reduced to one to two times per week, neophytes infested area reduced by 300 m; Replicability/transferability to other large environmental projects (two sets of guidelines and one feasibility study); and Increased awareness about the climate-orientated GPP concept at municipal, state and federal levels.
