Climate and Energy Model Regions
An Austrian blueprint for a successful bottom-up approach in the field of climate change and energy
Project Facts
Location
Austria
96 regions across the country
Applied Financing Solutions
Grants, In-Kind Contributions, Public Revenues
Project Dates
Start: 2009
In operation since/from: 2009
The Story
No more dependency on expensive oil imports, no more fear of gas crises – instead, clean energy generation from the sun, wind, water and bioenergy from the region. The Austrian Climate and Energy Model Regions are pursuing this goal – and become national and international role models for others.
The regions receive support in planning and implementation from the Climate and Energy Fund's program of the same name. It offers exclusive training, a broad network and co-finances the regionally developed projects in the areas of renewable energy, reduction of energy consumption, sustainable building, mobility, agriculture, and awareness raising.
In the first ten years, 96 model regions throughout Austria have set out to become independent of fossil fuels in the long term. Every day, 841 communities with 2.4 million people in the regions demonstrate how eager they are at the community and regional level to pursue climate protection and the energy transformation in a serious and ambitious manner. A total of more than 4,800 concrete projects and measures were implemented, which have multiplier effects and strengthen the regions in the long term.
Success Factor | Hero Moment
Central to the success of the projects are the dedicated model region managers who inform, motivate, initiate and coordinate on site – since the funding program follows a clear bottom-up approach: The regions develop their own way towards reducing their energy consumption and enhancing the use of renewable energies. The advantages of this approach are the increased public identification through high levels of participation and the possibility of focusing on a region’s strengths when it comes to its thematic alignment. An important side-effect is the enhancement of the region’s value added – thus creating new jobs and revitalizing regions.
Submitter
Climate and Energy Fund, Austria
Contact Mail
office@klimafonds.gv.at
