German-Austrian Collaboration: Climate Change Solutions for the EU

The Vienna Dialogue 2023 presents a groundbreaking report addressing the potentials of German-Austrian collaborations in tackling the consequences of climate change in Europe. Authored by Julian Plottka, Florence Ertel, Claudia Crawford, and Michael Stellwag, the paper emphasizes the need for European climate policy to not only slow down climate change but also develop tools to prepare societies and economies for its inevitable impacts. The central focus is on comprehensive collaboration at the European level to efficiently address this cross-border challenge. The report calls for systematic assessment of climate change impacts across Europe as a basis for developing preventive and reactive adaptation measures. Crucially, it raises questions about the distribution of adaptation costs between the EU and individual states, recognizing the societal challenges and distribution conflicts involved. The Vienna Dialogue, supported by approximately 80 experts in April 2023, and a subsequent workshop in November, provides concrete ideas on how Germany and Austria, within a functioning EU, can navigate climate policy challenges. The text does not offer personal recommendations but reflects the collective insights from the dialogue and workshop. The authors stress that climate adaptation challenges extend beyond technological solutions, encompassing societal acceptance, and foresee significant distribution conflicts within EU societies and between member states. The paper underscores the necessity of developing cross-border solutions, suggesting that Germany and Austria can play a pivotal role in shaping European climate policy through intensive collaboration in various policy domains, including the European Green Deal. In essence, the Vienna Dialogue 2023 report provides a comprehensive overview of the challenges and potentials associated with Europe's adaptation to the consequences of climate change.

The publication is only available in german.