Key Indicators of Climate Change and the Energy Sector in 2020. Special Topic: COVID-19, CO2 Emissions and Economic Stimulus Packages as Opportunity for Structural Climate Mitigation

The thirteenth edition of WIFO Key Indicators on Climate Change and Energy Economy applies indicators to analyse the development of greenhouse gas emissions, energy consumption and economic growth. Accordingly, Austria's greenhouse gas emissions 2018 have decreased compared to the previous year for the first time in three years (by 3.75 percent). Greenhouse gas emissions thus persist at 1990 or 2015 levels. The main drivers of this development were special effects in industry, a low number of heating degree days and a decline in domestic electricity generation. The transport sector continues to be the driver of emissions dynamics. The real gross value added grew by 2.4 percent at the same time. The Special Topic deals with the CO2 emissions reductions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic and points to the importance of the economic stimulus packages for the promotion of innovations towards a resilient and carbon-free economy.