The climate crisis represents the greatest societal and political challenge of our time and can only be addressed through decisive action. Austria has set itself the ambitious objective of achieving climate neutrality by 2040 at the latest, while the European Union aims to reach climate neutrality by 2050. This requires a comprehensive transformation of the economy and society: from new energy concepts and the mobility transition to the establishment of a circular economy.
Cities play a central role in this transition: they generate around three quarters of global CO₂ emissions and account for 78% of worldwide energy consumption. Increasing numbers of people will live in urban areas in the future and will be particularly exposed to the impacts of climate change, including heatwaves, air pollution and extreme weather events.
At the same time, cities—as economic hubs and centres of research and innovation—have significant potential to develop new solution strategies and to become pioneers in climate protection and climate change adaptation.
With the research policy priority “Climate-neutral City”, the the Austrian Federal Ministry for Innovation, Mobility, and Infrastructure (BMIMI) and the Climate and Energy Fund support urban frontrunners on their path towards a climate-resilient future. The mission accelerates the rapid development and demonstration of innovative solution components through the research, technology and development programme “Technologies and Innovations for the Climate-Neutral City” (TIKS).
In parallel, valuable learning environments are created and know-how is generated that can be utilised by other Austrian cities and municipalities. Particularly significant in this regard are the so-called “Pioneer Towns”, which aim to achieve climate neutrality ahead of 2040 through ambitious strategies and thus serve as exemplary models for successful transformation.
The call “Technologies and Innovations for the Climate-Neutral City” pursues the following strategic and operational objectives:
- Development of technological and innovative solutions for the implementation of climate-neutral cities, districts and buildings
- Initiation of system innovation and system transformation in Austrian cities and municipalities, including the sustainable design of public spaces and mobility spaces
- Contribution to the development of resilient and climate-neutral buildings, districts and cities, including the sustainable design of public spaces and mobility spaces
- Development and demonstration of transformative and social innovation, as well as the strengthening of sustainable mobility behaviour by and with the population
- Development and demonstration of alternative financing, operating and tariff models for urban solutions to achieve climate neutrality and to support climate change adaptation measures
- Application of digital and key technologies, as well as space technologies, for climate-neutral cities
- Qualification and upskilling of the workforce for climate-neutral cities