8th Environmental Dialogue: Environmental Policy in Crisis

The complexity of environmental problems poses major challenges for policy makers. In addition, environmental protection slipped even further down the political agenda due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Ukraine war or the energy crisis. Important meetings of the international community, such as the UN Climate Change Conference COP26 and the 15th Conference of the Parties to the UN Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), have been postponed and are now being held step by step.

In Austria, bundling the topics of climate protection, environment, energy, mobility, innovation and technology in the same ministry at the beginning of 2020 presented a promising opportunity for a more comprehensive environmental policy. However, after more than 600 days, there is no valid climate protection law in Austria at the moment. Moreover, the implementation of the government programme also leaves a lot to be desired.

How can the Austrian government programme be designed and implemented under the current framework conditions and make a contribution to international environmental protection? What values should and can guide an ambitious environmental policy in Austria? How can academic knowledge better inform evidence-based policies? And what role does the promotion of citizen participation and awareness-raising play in making a change?

When: 18 October 2022, Admission 18:30, Start: 19:00
Where: Upper cupola hall, Natural History Museum Vienna, main entrance – Maria-Theresien-Platz, 1010 Vienna

Welcome

• Katrin Vohland, Director General of the Natural History Museum Vienna
• Manuela Baccarini, Vice-Rector for Research and International Affairs at the University of Vienna
• Thilo Hofmann, Director of the Environmental Sciences Research Network at the University of Vienna

Keynote: “Why We Need a New Environmental Policy”

• Alice Vadrot, political scientist and associate professor at the University of Vienna

Panel Discussion

• Daniel Ennöckl – Legal scholar and Head of the Institute of Law at BOKU University
• Christian Holzer – Head of the Environment and Circular Economy Section at the Federal Ministry for Climate Action, Environment, Energy, Mobility, Innovation and Technology
• Katharina Rogenhofer – Co-founder of FFF Austria, spokesperson for the referendum for combating climate change
• Alice Vadrot – Political scientist and associate professor at the University of Vienna
• Moderator: Marlene Nowotny, science editor Ö1 radio