Austria's CO2 emissions have fallen significantly in recent years: by 5.8 per cent in 2022, 6.4 per cent in 2023 and around 2.6 per cent in 2024, in each case compared to the previous year. Apart from the sharp decline due to the COVID-related lockdown, they had remained at a relatively stable level for a long time before that. “The last time we had greenhouse gas emissions as low as in 2024 was in 1970,” knows Karl Steininger from the Wegener Center at the University of Graz. However, even greater efforts are needed to achieve the 2030 target.
Climate protection pays off
In their analyses, Steininger and his team calculated the influence of various factors: “Almost two-thirds of the decline in Austrian greenhouse gas emissions last year can be attributed to climate-friendly changes in production processes, heating systems and the behaviour of the population. These were triggered, among other things, by price signals such as the national CO2 tax,” reports the researcher. Just over a third of the reduction is due to the weak economy (0.1 percentage points) and the exceptionally mild winter (0.9 percentage points).
More effort needed to achieve 2030 emissions target
“International climate agreements use 1990 emission levels as a reference for their targets. Austria currently emits just under 16 per cent less than that. However, we are still above our target path according to the EU agreement,” warns Steininger, adding: “If winter temperatures and the economic cycle had been in line with the ten-year average, emissions would have been two million tonnes of CO2 equivalents – three per cent – higher. For Austria to achieve its 2030 targets, the savings in the coming years must therefore be significantly greater than in 2024,” says the scientist.
