Innovation & Climate: Innovative Climate Strategies for Austrian Businesses

Under the Kyoto Protocol, most of the industrialised countries (with the exception of the USA) committed themselves to a reduction in their greenhouse gas emissions. Austria committed to a reduction of 13 percent against 1990 levels between 2008 and 2012. At present, its emissions are 18 percent above that level. In view of this serious challenge for business and politics, Innovation & Climate, the climate platform of the Austrian business community, has developed a number of options in support of Austria's climate policy: 1. Climate policy is positioned as a tool of economic innovation within the meaning of the European Union's Lisbon strategy. 2. For the sectors transport, buildings and industry/energy, strategies are presented that have a great potential for innovation, send out strong signals and have the capacity to achieve political consensus. Measures that meet these three criteria are known as "top activities" in this project.