SPOTLIGHT
“The basis of all our activities is that no one should be left behind”
Vienna’s Director of Urban Planning Thomas Madreiter sets out the activities to become a climate neutral city, makes the case for a circular economy and explains why the municipality does not believe in the law of the strongest By Valerie Herzog, Climate Specialist, OPEC Fund
V ienna, home of the OPEC Fund since the late 1970s, consistently ranks among the cities in the world with the highest quality of life. This is no coincidence, but the result of hard and continuous work, explains the city’s Director of Urban Planning, Thomas Madreiter. Key for successful urban development is a consultative process that actively involves the population and makes creating – and maintaining – a livable city a joint effort.
OPEC Fund Quarterly : What measures is Vienna taking to become a climate- neutral city – especially in terms of urban development? Thomas Madreiter: Under the motto “Courage for the city”, Vienna has long been committed to urban development that protects the soil and thus the environment and climate with high- quality density. The result is a livable city with short distances, allowing people to experience urban diversity over a short distance. This is supported by a mobility policy that promotes environmentally friendly mobility – consisting of walking, cycling and public transport.
OFQ : Climate protection, climate change adaptation and increasingly biodiversity are the focus worldwide. Why is Vienna focusing instead on the circular economy as the third pillar of its strategy? What role does it play in climate-neutral and resilient urban development? TM: Vienna is already an international leader in climate protection, climate adaptation and resilience. When it comes to resilience, just think of the high-altitude spring water flowing to Vienna via natural gradients, or Vienna’s far-sighted flood protection measures. On the one hand, the circular economy is not in conflict with climate
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Illustration: oxygen_8 – stock. adobe.com
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