10 December 2014: The ‘Austrian Assessment Report 2014’ of the Austrian Panel on Climate Change (APCC) was presented at a side event at the Lima Climate Change Conference. The report provides an overview of research on climate change in Austria. Participants heard high-level statements and presentations on the findings and potential actions stemming from the report.

Andrä Rupprechter, Minister of Agriculture, Forestry, Environment and Water Management, Austria, welcomed the three-year effort, which involved over 200 Austrian scientists. He noted the report summarizes the current state of knowledge on climate change in Austria, its consequences, and mitigation and adaptation strategies. Rupprechter reiterated the need for countries to become carbon neutral and phase out fossil fuels through a stepwise approach.

Flavia Nabugera Munaaba, Minister of State for the Environment, Uganda, reminded participants that the majority of Ugandans are subsistence farmers with a high dependence on fuel wood and seasonal rain cycles, which means they experience climate change impacts very keenly. She emphasized the need for monitoring and research to establish baseline data.

In a keynote presentation, Georg Kaser, University of Innsbruck, Austria, posited that recent average temperature increases in Austria resulted from a combination of more days of sunshine, resultant altered air pressure systems, warmer nights and fewer cold days. He noted that not all research fields are equally represented in the report and lamented prevailing global warming skepticism among policy makers and the scientific community. Kaser regretted insufficient responsibility towards less developed countries and urged transfer of knowledge, methodologies and models.

On potential consequences of climate change in Austria, Klaus Radunsky, Federal Environment Agency, Austria, predicted significant increases in landslides, mudflows, rockfalls and forest fires. He warned that without increased adaptation efforts, Austria’s vulnerability to climate change will increase in future decades. He called for participatory planning processes at all levels and eliminating barriers to societal transformation.

During the discussion, participants deliberated: additional avenues for monitoring and research in the future; challenges in communicating science to policy makers; the potential of mitigation activities in Austria; local climate strategies across the region; and the potential for sharing best practices and research at the local and sub-national level. [IISD RS ENBOTS Coverage] [IISD RS Coverage of Lima Climate Change Conference] [APCC Website]