Adapting large-scale environmental projects to climate change while supporting climate objectives (LIFE EnCAM)

Large-scale environmental projects often lack sufficient focus on the future impacts of climate change, and the results of successful projects may not be sustained if climate change continues. Austria has seen a considerably higher mean temperature increase (2°C since around 1850) than the global average (0.9°C). Further increases in temperature are expected in the coming decades, with more heat days, heavy rain and periods of heat and drought. In previous years, environmental and climate mitigation objectives dominated the climate change debate. To cope with climate change and safeguard project investments, adaptation aspects must now be integrated into the overall city planning strategies.

LIFE EnCAM's goal is to show how large environmental projects can integrate climate change adaptation requirements. It aims to achieve this via the following specific objectives:

• Enhancement of climate change resilience measures in the project area by creating a better microclimate to ensure long-term ecological success; reducing urban heat island effects; adapting the ecological system of the river Liesing to climate change; improving the potential for recreation; increasing the Vienna city administrations competence in the field of climate change adaptation measures and raising public awareness of climate protection; and
• Introduction of climate-orientated green public procurement (GPP): selecting products and services which add climate effects indirectly (e.g. climate-relevant award criteria/specifications/contract clauses).

The project helps implement the Austrian strategy for adaptation to climate change (2018), as well as a range of EU policy and legislation, namely: the EU strategy on adaptation to climate change, the Water Framework, Floods, Habitats and Birds directives, the EU Biodiversity Strategy, the IAS Regulation and the green infrastructure strategy.