Search

Land use faces a double challenge: to provide biomass to a growing population while contributing to climate-change mitigation. We here scrutinize this challenge by exploring the domestic option space for meeting the food demand of Austria in 2050 under the condition of no deforestation. To that end, we bring together a quantitative assessment based on biogeochemical models with a socio-political analysis based on the conceptual framework of (dis-) embeddedness derived from Polanyian thinking. We consider viable options by modifying four levers: (i) human diet and food waste; (ii) trade patterns; (iii) agricultural practices; (iv) technical climate change mitigation. Past and present policies in Austria have fostered an agricultural system rich in animal products, land-use specialization and the integration of biomass products within international markets, ultimately resulting in a loss of embeddedness in the sense of Polanyi. The biophysical analysis, however, highlights that a shift towards diets with less animal products would allow increasing self-sufficiency or a generalization of organic farming while turning the agricultural and forestry sector into a net GHG sink. Following a Polanyian perspective, we show that feasible scenarios require different types of re-embedding of the agricultural system: ecological, spatial and social, implying that land products should rather be common goods than mere commodities. • We explore the biophysical option space of the agricultural system in Austria. • We combine a modelling approach with a Polanyian interpretation framework. • We show that diet is a key lever to meet food demand while reducing GHG budget. • We show that organic farming or self-sufficiency are feasible option. • Reducing GHG budget will require social, ecological and spatial re-embedding. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Agriculture and food systems are central to managing biodiversity loss and climate change. Future changes in agriculture and food systems are highly uncertain and depend on underlying socio-economic developments. Scenarios allow scientists, policy and industry decision-makers to consider such uncertainties and describe a spectrum of plausible futures. The Shared Socioeconomic Pathways for European agriculture and food systems (Eur-Agri-SSPs) semi-quantitatively describe pathways along future challenges for climate change mitigation and adaptation. However, additional or adapted drivers (i.e. scenario elements), like national policies or adaptations of European policies, are relevant to frame plausible future developments at national scales. We aim to set the standard for developing country and sector-specific SSPs in a participatory process by developing and applying an eleven-step protocol and engaging a diverse group of stakeholders throughout the whole research process. By downscaling the Eu-Agri-SSPs to a national level, we contribute to improve their usability in academia, governments and industry. This is achieved by matching qualitative pathways with the needs of integrated land use models (used to simulate land use scenarios), and by quantifying selected drivers for future developments together with stakeholders. In particular, we estimate 20-year trends (2000–2019) and apply fuzzy set theory to quantify ten scenario elements, which are typically required in integrated land use models. The final scenarios describe the semi-quantitative development for 79 scenario elements along the five topics "Population and urbanization", "Economy", "Policy and institutions", "Technology", and "Environment and natural resources" for the five AT-Agri-SSPs. Exemplary results reveal that stakeholders expect payments for agri-environment-climate measures to increase to 1200 million € in AT-Agri-SSP1 or to decline to 267 million € in AT-Agri-SSP3, 4 and 5. For direct payments, a complete phase-out was specified for AT-Agri-SSP1 and an increase to 711 million € in AT-Agri-SSP3. We discuss 14 lessons learnt and recommendations for future scenario processes and participatory quantification. Recommendations include: tailoring the assignment of scenario elements for quantification to stakeholders' expertise, keeping survey complexity low, providing historical and relevant SSP data, and encouraging stakeholders to jointly quantify interdependent elements. The AT-Agri-SSPs can inform policy-making, decision-making in industry, and research on the agriculture and food systems. • We developed an eleven-step, iterative protocol to develop the AT-Agri-SSPs. • Austrian stakeholders were engaged in five of the eleven working steps. • We defined semi-quantitative development directions for 79 scenario elements. • We applied fuzzy set theory for the participatory quantification of 10 scenario elements. • We discuss lessons learnt for future scenario processes and participatory quantification. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As a response to the increasing threat to sport events from climate change and expectations around climate change mitigation, sport event managers increasingly engage in environmentally-related initiatives that aim to reduce GHG emissions. One of the major contributors to GHG emissions at large sport events is spectators' travel and, thus, their associated modal choices. Building on the Sport Logistics Framework (SLF) and using the case study of Rapid Vienna, the largest football club in Austria, this study investigates spectators' modal choice to systematically assess the total GHGs emitted by spectators at a professional football home game. Data was obtained from two sources: a) an extensive data set collected on Rapid Vienna season ticket holders, and b) three surveys at home games which, together, constituted 3317 valid responses. The calculation of the GHG emissions resulted in 99,548 kg GHG emissions per home game or 6.0 kg GHG emissions per spectator. It was also found that 42.4 per cent spectators arriving by car emit 71.6 per cent of GHG emissions, while in contrast, 52.8 per cent of spectators using public transport emit 27.1 per cent of GHG emissions. The results also indicate that the possession of an annual public transport ticket seems to determine travel behavior, i.e. the majority of spectators with an annual ticket are using it, while spectators without a ticket are using a car. As such, this paper not only provides an opportunity for academics and managers to benchmark the data in order to identify initiatives to reduce the impact of GHG emissions, but also allows for the systematic measuring of the environmental impact of fan and spectator travel. • Fan travel to professional football games is a major contributor to GHG emissions. • We assess fans' modal choices and their carbon footprint at a football home game. • The home game emits a total 99,548 kg GHG emissions or 6.0 kg GHG emissions per fan. • We found that 42.4% fans arriving by car emit 71.6% of GHG emissions. • The study allows for benchmarking and systematic measuring of fan travel behavior. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Barriers for transition are at least as important as possible negative consequences. • What stakeholders refer to as "barriers" in fact can be traced back to perceived consequential risks. • Macroeconomic costs of a low carbon transition of the steel and electricity sector are moderate. • Using quantitative and qualitative methods in a complementary way allows to pinpoint robust conclusions. • Stakeholders might overestimate risks, when neglecting (compensating) macroeconomic feedback effects. To limit global temperature increase below +2°C, societies need to reduce greenhouse gas emissions radically within the next few decades. Amongst other mitigation measures, this requires transforming process-emission intensive industries towards emission neutrality. One way to this end is the renewables-based electrification of industries. We present results of a recent co-production process which brought together stakeholders from industry, policy, administration and science to co-create climate-neutral transition pathways for the steel and electricity sectors in Austria. The results summarized here are the definition of reliable pathways and the identification of associated risks pertaining to pathway implementation, including a macro-economic quantification. We find that risks to implementation (barriers) are at least as important as risks of implementation (negative consequences). From the quantitative analysis we find that, provided that barriers can be reduced, macroeconomic costs of the transition are only moderate and that stakeholders might overestimate risks, when neglecting economy-wide feedbacks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In 1990 Austria has committed to the Kyoto-protocol and later to the Paris Agreement. Since then, it has developed two climate strategies, has passed its first climate protection act, has adopted a strategy for adaptation to climate change and has implemented many new institutions, programmes and local to provincial climate change mitigation (CCM) measures. Indeed, Austrian GHG-emissions have been decreasing since 2005, giving reasons to suspect policy success. A closer analysis, however, challenges this impression. Here, we put climate policies since 1990 into perspective with other, often short-term drivers of GHG-emissions. Employing a conceptual framework, we evaluate the level of climate policy integration, which has been found key for successful climate policies in literature. This framework also helps us to detect benefits and shortcomings of past and existing CCM policies and so to derive insights relevant for policy-makers. We find that short-term climatic and socio-economic events overruled climate policies in their proximate GHG-emission effects, even when policies were implemented due to EU regulation after 2007. Policy effects are much more difficult to uncover, because they often happen within longer time-frames and are usually accompanied by indirect CCM-effects. In the background of accelerating climate change impacts in combination with associated high uncertainties, strengthening climate policies and integrating reflexive mechanisms that allow adjusting and continuously re-evaluating policy effectiveness, will become ever more important. Eliminating inconsistencies between CCM- and other sectoral policies and drastically reforming accounting schemes to include carbon leakage effects are particularly timely, yet considering political realities, very bold but necessary next step to make climate goals attainable. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• SOC sequestration beneath hedgerows continues for decades but at declining annual rates. • Shallow topsoils do not contribute to sequestration. • Hedgerow age and ammonium oxalate extractable Al (Alo) are master variables of sequestration. • Expanding hedgerows to 10% of the agricultural land (EU Biodiversity Strategy) is relevant for climate change mitigation. Hedgerows supply multiple ecosystem services in agricultural landscapes and have been advocated to provide a relevant carbon sink for climate change mitigation. Using a space-for-time approach, we investigated carbon sequestration and fractionation in soils beneath hedgerows 1 to 70 yr after planting on cultivated land in the humid continental climate of Eastern Austria. We sampled 54 pairs of hedgerow and adjacent cultivated soil volumetrically to 40 cm depth and analysed them for bulk soil (< 2 mm) mass, SOC fractions of differential stability and related soil properties. Total SOC stocks to 40 cm depth increased significantly (p < 0.05) by 34.7 ± 4.70 Mg C ha−1 to 119 ± 6.77 Mg C ha−1 beneath 31–70 yr old hedgerows, and by 15.6 ± 5.94 Mg C ha−1 to 106 ± 8.98 Mg C ha−1 beneath 1–30 yr old hedgerows. Carbon sequestration was limited to the organic and mineral topsoil layer (0–20 cm), SOC changes (ΔSOC) at 20–40 cm depth were small and insignificant (p < 0.05). Linear regression of ΔSOC on hedgerow age (1–70 yr) yields a mean SOC sequestration rate of 0.65 ± 0.10 Mg ha−1 yr−1 down to 40 cm depth. Combining our data with published work we found hedgerow age explaining ∼65 % of the variation of ΔSOC in topsoils, and ∼68 % in shallow subsoils; ΔSOC increases with hedgerow age in topsoils, but declines in subsoils. Annual sequestration rates decline with hedgerow age in both soil layers. Up to 30 years after conversion, SOC is preferably sequestered in labile particulate organic matter (POM; > 20 µm), and stabilised in the mineral-associated organic matter (MAOM; < 20 µm fraction) thereafter. In the bulk soil and MAOM fraction, SOC strongly increases with oxalate-extractable Al (Al o). We conclude that SOC sequestration beneath hedgerows offers a relevant CO 2 sequestration potential which is mainly limited to topsoils and primarily controlled by hedgerow age and Al o. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There is evidence that the replacement of carbon-intensive products with bio-based substitutes (‘material substitution with biomass’) can be highly efficient in reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. Based on two case studies (CS1/2) for Austria, potential benefits of material substitution in comparison to fuel substitution are analysed. GHG savings are calculated according to default IPCC approaches (Tier 2 method assuming first-order decay) and with more realistic approaches based on distribution functions. In CS1, high savings are achieved by using wood residues for the production of insulating boards instead of energy. The superiority of material substitution is due to the establishment of a long-term carbon storage, the high emission factor of wood in comparison to natural gas and higher efficiencies of gas-fired facilities. The biomass feedstock in CS2 is lignocellulosic ethanol being used for bio-ethylene production (material substitution) or replacing gasoline (fuel substitution). GHG savings are mainly due to lower production emissions of bio-ethylene in comparison to conventional ethylene and significantly lower than in CS1 (per unit of biomass consumed). While CS1 is highly robust to parameter variation, the long-term projections in CS2 are quite speculative. To create adequate incentives for including material substitution in national climate strategies, shortcomings of current default accounting methods must be addressed. Under current methods the GHG savings in both case studies would not (fully) materialize in the national GHG inventory. The main reason is that accounting of wood products is confined to the proportion derived from domestic harvest, whereas imported biomass used for energy is treated as carbon-neutral. Further inadequacies of IPCC default accounting methods include the assumption of exponential decay and the disregard of advanced bio-based products. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: The core issues of the Austrian energy policy agenda include reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and dependence on fossil fuels. Within this study, the costs of GHG mitigation and fossil fuel replacement (abatement costs) of established and upcoming bioenergy technologies for heat, electricity and transport fuel production are assessed. Sensitivity analyses and projections up to 2030 illustrate the effect of dynamic parameters on specific abatement costs. The results show that the abatement costs of wood-based heat generation technologies substituting oil-fired boilers and gas-fired heating plants, respectively, are in the range of −45 € per ton CO2-equivalent (€/t CO2-eq.) and −11 € per MWh higher heating value (€/MWhHHV) to 93€/t CO2-eq. and 24 €/MWhHHV. Heating systems around 50kW show the lowest abatement costs. For combined heat and power (CHP) plants, two different cases with regard to heat utilization are assumed. In an optimal mode (100% of generated heat displaces fossil fuel-based heat production), abatement costs of wood-based technologies, substituting electricity from modern combined cycle gas turbines, range from 5€/t CO2-eq. and 1€/MWhHHV to 201€/t CO2-eq. and 38 €/MWhHHV. Representative values of typical CHP plants with a capacity of 1MWel and more are in the magnitude of 50€/t CO2-eq. and 10 €/MWhHHV. Under less favorable conditions (3000 heat full load hours per year), abatement costs of typical plants are around 100€/t CO2-eq. and 17 €/MWhHHV higher. The costs of GHG mitigation and fossil fuel saving with established transport fuels (biodiesel and ethanol) range from 71€/t CO2-eq. and 8 €/MWhHHV to 200€/t CO2-eq. and 82 €/MWhHHV. For liquid fuels from lignocellulosis, abatement costs are estimated 147€/t CO2-eq. and 38 €/MWhHHV to 240€/t CO2-eq. and 59 €/MWhHHV. The abatement costs of synthetic natural gas are found to be significantly lower: 75€/t CO2-eq. and 14 €/MWhHHV to 128€/t CO2-eq. and 23 €/MWhHHV. The results suggest that heat generation and – given favorable conditions – CHP generation are the most cost-efficient options for reducing GHG emissions and fossil fuel dependence in Austria. A core advantage of CHP is higher quantities of abatement per unit of biomass used. In contrast, this is found to be the main drawback of synthetic transport fuels from wood. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The Kyoto Protocol created a framework of responsibilities and mechanisms to mitigate climate change by reducing the emissions of greenhouse gases (GHGs) into the atmosphere. The Protocol stipulates accounting and reporting of GHG emissions and removals, such as energy use, industrial processes, agriculture, waste and net emissions resulting from land use, land-use change and forestry (LULUCF) activities. Emissions reported according to the rules set by the Kyoto Protocol do not include GHG emissions outside a country's boundaries resulting from the production of imported goods or services. As a result, GHG accounts constructed according to the Kyoto Protocol reflect the GHG emissions resulting from the production system of a country, but not all the emissions resulting from the consumption of goods and services within the country. However, as previous studies demonstrate, a country's emission balance changes remarkably if emissions related to goods or services imported and exported are taken into account. Here, we go beyond the aforementioned studies which mainly focus on GHG emissions from fossil fuel combustion. We assess, in a first-order approach, upstream emissions that result from LULUC activities outside a country while the produced goods are consumed within the country. In our study we focus on Austria's livestock system to elucidate the difference between production and consumption-related emissions accounting approaches. We study direct and ''hidden'' (embodied) GHG emissions associated with Austria's bilateral trade in livestock and livestock-related products, based on the integration of full carbon accounting (FCA) and life cycle analysis (LCA). [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Enhanced weathering through basalt application on agricultural land represents a proposed strategy for the removal of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. It has been shown that enhanced weathering is principally feasible on a global scale, but there is still uncertainty with respect to the predicted drawdown in a given timeframe. This information is however vital to evaluate, if enhanced weathering should be further considered as a factor to alleviate the impact of the climate crisis. With this in mind, this article reviews of the current state of research and estimates the CO 2 drawdown for scenarios using basalt powders of different particle size distribution (<100 μm, <10 μm and <1 μm). Calculated with a modified shrinking core model, the amount of powder dissolved within a timeframe of 10 years is approximately 16% (<100 μm), 55% (<10 μm) and 99.9% (<1 μm). This corresponds to a gross CO 2 removal of 0.045 t CO 2 t−1 of rock (<100 μm) and 0.153 t CO 2 t−1 of rock, (<10 μm). We evaluate our results on regional scale through a case study for Austria, including emissions from mining, comminution, application and transport. Assuming an average distance of 300 km from mine to field, the net CO 2 drawdown decreases to approximately 0.027 t CO 2 t−1 of rock (<100 μm) or 0.096 t CO 2 t−1 (<10 μm), when rail transport is used. For truck transport, the numbers are reduced to −0.030 t CO 2 t−1 of rock (<100 μm) or 0.039 t CO 2 t−1 (<10 μm), respectively. Accordingly, at the current CO 2 intensity, transport related emissions may cancel out any drawdown if grain sizes (<100 μm) are used. Our estimates suggest that enhanced weathering will only significantly contribute to net CO 2 drawdown if grain sizes (<10 μm) are used. Under these conditions the large-scale application of particles with a diameter <10 μm may remove about 2% of Austria's annual Greenhouse gas emissions. We discuss challenges towards this goal, including the enormous amounts of rock needed and the energy requirement related to grinding, as well as uncertainties related to actual field weathering rates. Those uncertainties hinder the precise quantification of CO 2 drawdown as of now. While enhanced weathering remains a promising path for climate change mitigation, further research at laboratory and field scale is required to put this technology to optimal use. • A review of the state of research for enhanced weathering of basalt. • A < 10 μm grain size could remove ≈2% of Austria's greenhouse gas emissions per year. • For larger grain sizes, transport emissions become important. • Field weathering rates reduce the sequestration potential estimated in previous studies. • Uncertainties related to actual CO 2 drawdown under field conditions are still large. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As the mitigation of climate change becomes critical, the public perception of wood as a sustainable building material that can facilitate the shift towards a bio-based economy is crucial to consider. This study aimed to explore the attitudes towards timber construction among young millennials in Austria, a cohort that in the coming years will increasingly occupy decision-making positions and gain purchasing power. A representative online survey (quota sample, n = 757) was conducted to explore the attitudes of 20 to 29-year-olds towards timber construction and the forest-based sector. In general, timber construction was described positively in comparison to other construction methods, in particular, it was considered aesthetically appealing and ecologically advantageous. Indecisiveness prevailed regarding the role of wood in climate change mitigation. The industry's current approach to advertising does not attract much attention. Doubts were expressed about the sustainability of sourcing wood as a building material and certain physical characteristics for building were perceived as a disadvantage. Four distinct market segments were then identified by means of exploratory factor analysis and a cluster analysis using Timber Construction Affinity and Opinion Leadership Wood as categorization factors. Two segments are essential for future marketing measures: Passive Preservers showed the most negative view of the industry, its practices and its offerings, while Active Supporters were in favor of increased wood use and actively promoted timber constructions among peers. Subsequently, marketing implications were given to develop "preserving" into "supporting" clusters and to further involve Active Supporters in the communication of wood and timber construction related topics. [Display omitted] • The attitude of 20- to 29-year-olds towards timber construction and the forest-based sector in Austria was examined (n = 757). • In general timber construction was viewed positively, especially as aesthetical and ecologically advantageous. • Respondents were concerned about building physics and the sustainability of wood sourcing. • Four distinct market segments were identified using Timber Construction Affinity and Opinion Leadership Wood. • Recommendations for communication measures were given to address this future customer group. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hydropeaking is an anthropogenic regime that results from the strong flow variations in the receiving waters of storage hydropower plants. These variations are due to flexible energy production, i.e. the sudden increase of electricity demands or from its decrease, affecting the fish assemblages of that river stretch. We evaluated the mitigation potential of the hydropeaking diversion hydropower plant (hd-HPP) named Gemeinschaftskraftwerk Inn - GKI, located in the Inn River at the Alpine region (Tyrol, Austria). This HPP will use a weir reservoir for the retention of hydropeaking coming from upstream HPPs, together with the diversion of peak flows, which intends to mitigate the impacts of hydropeaking along the residual flow stretch while allowing for hydropower production. Our study aims to evaluate and mitigate the stranding potential of the European grayling (Thymallus thymallus) within the time range of the species' larvae life-stage in the Inn river's studied stretch. To do so, we addressed a set of high-resolution historical hydrological data and, afterwards, the implementation of mitigation operational scenarios, for wet and dry years. The performance of the historical status and the mitigation scenario was assessed based on 1D unsteady modelling in a set of 26 cross-sections along a 6.5 km stretch, by quantifying the downramping rate and flow ratio events over the grayling larvae's tolerance thresholds to stranding (0.2 cm/min) and the Austrian legal threshold for flow ratio (1:3), respectively. Furthermore, we developed a new eco-hydromorphological assessment scheme, including topographic features that have been confirmed as stranding increase factors, besides the hydrological parameter's assessment. A qualitative classification was defined (Very High, High, Medium, Small, Low) for the species' larvae stranding potential, gathering the hydrological and morphological parameters assessment, represented in a map with the cross-section's location and assessment class. Results confirmed that the operational scenario highly reduced the number of events where downramping rate and the flow ratio were over the thresholds in all sections, with higher effectiveness in the wet year analysis, where tributaries influence showed a major role. Afterwards, for the qualitative assessment, in the historical records analysis the cross-sections status were included in the High or Medium classes of stranding potential. In the mitigation scenarios, most of sections' status shifted to the Low or Small classes. With this study, we confirmed that the GKI hydropower scheme may be considered as an effective hydropeaking mitigation strategy. Additionally, we presented a novel 1D-based approach for stranding potential assessment, grounded on a cost-effective and integrative classification scheme. • A diversion hydropower plant was assessed as a hydropeaking mitigation solution. • High resolution flow data was used for hydropeaking mitigation operation scenarios. • Hydrological thresholds for stranding mitigation were quantified for a native species. • New topographic parameters were included to assess fish stranding in 1D analysis. • A qualitative classification scheme showed positive results for stranding mitigation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Climate change is supposed to exacerbate conflicts arising from resource scarcity and contrasting objectives. Some European authors highlighted already the need to look at conflicting interests when elaborating and applying adaptation and mitigation strategies. This study analysed the level of consideration of these emerging topics arising through increased competition of resources, contrasting interests, climate change adaptation as well as mitigation measures for Austria and Southern Germany in detail. Furthermore, it surveyed the application of possible approaches for conflict prevention and mitigation in an international perspective and additionally examined the particular role of SEA as one of the instruments to cope with conflicts related to climate change. The results express the strong need to look at emerging conflicts in cross-sectoral and sectoral adaptation early enough and a strategic perspective. Based on the content analysis of the Austrian and German adaptation and mitigation documents, expert interviews as well as the international literature review, a rather low consideration of these emerging topics as well as approaches to cope with them became evident. In response to these deficiencies, the paper introduces a first framework to identify and tackle emerging and exacerbated conflicts related to climate change. This novel framework is internationally applicable. In the final step of the framework approaches to prevent and minimize conflicts are the key topic. Among these approaches, SEA could take a leading role in case mandatory planning instruments cover the topics related to potential or existing exacerbated fields of conflicts. Overall a mix of formal and informal instruments and a more cross-sectoral perspective seems necessary. To this aim, the paper introduces four main guiding principles to consider and minimize up-coming conflicting topics. • Consideration of cc related conflicts is very diverse in adaptation documents. • A more strategic view of emerging conflicts is of particular importance. • This paper presents a novel framework to identify and tackle conflicts. • SEA can partly address these conflicting topics depending on its role. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]