Bridging Knowledge: The Climate Day Returns to the University of Vienna

For three days in April, the University of Vienna became the meeting point of Austria’s climate research community. The 26th Austrian Climate Day, organised by the Climate Change Centre Austria (CCCA) in cooperation with the Environment and Climate Research Hub (ECH), took place in Vienna for the first time since 2017 – this time at the University of Vienna Biology Building (UBB) at Djerassiplatz. 

The return of the conference to the University of Vienna was no coincidence. Behind the scenes, the ECH in particular played a key role in bringing Climate Day back to Vienna – thereby strengthening the university’s position as a central hub for interdisciplinary climate research and societal dialogue.

Under the motto “Bridging Knowledge – From Knowledge to Change”, the event aimed to connect disciplines, institutions and societal actors. Rather than functioning solely as a traditional academic conference, Climate Day positioned itself as a platform for placing scientific insights into a broader societal context. For ECH Co-Director Thilo Hofmann, this is crucial: 
“Scientifically, we already know where we need to go. What matters is bringing this knowledge into politics and society in order to develop viable and just solutions. Communication and exchange are central and these are exactly the bridges we need to build.”

The opening already set the tone. On the pre-day, participants discussed topics ranging from climate-related natural hazards to opportunities in European research funding. The Climate Walk, also under the motto “Bridging Knowledge – From Knowledge to Change”, organised by ECH together with Climate Walk Austria, moved the discussion into urban space and highlighted how closely scientific questions are linked to everyday realities.

In their opening remarks, the Rector of the University of Vienna, Sebastian Schütze, and CCCA Chair Daniel Huppmann both emphasised the growing importance of collaboration – not only within academia, but beyond its boundaries. The University of Vienna has identified climate, environment and sustainability as a key strategic priority. As Schütze noted, universities must actively bring these topics into politics and the media to re-anchor them in public discourse. Huppmann underlined the central role of research as a basis for political and economic decision-making. 

This perspective ran throughout the entire event. In a subsequent discussion with representatives of research funding bodies, it became clear that scientific knowledge only creates impact when it is translated into concrete action. The frequently cited gap between knowledge and implementation remained one of the central themes. 

In her keynote, economist and head of the Ifo Centre for Energy, Climate and Resources, Karen Pittel, drew on her experience in science-policy advice to describe a differentiated picture of this tension. Policymaking operates under time pressure, uncertainty and increasing complexity – conditions that rarely align with academic research cycles. To remain influential, she argued, inter- and transdisciplinary formats are essential, bringing together diverse societal actors. Only then can scientific evidence feed into political decision-making in time. 

The factors that hinder effective climate policy and the possible levers for change were at the centre of the subsequent panel discussion. 

ECH member and political scientist Alina Brad highlighted structural barriers, arguing that it is “not only about political weakness”, but that existing power and property structures often prevent ambitious climate action. The social dimension was also a key focus. Hanna Lichtenberger from Volkshilfe Austria emphasised that people affected by poverty are “not climate sceptics”, but have significantly fewer opportunities to act in climate-friendly ways. 

Christiane Brunner, initiator of the Climate Business Circle, drew attention to economic interdependencies, stating: “Nothing is as economically and socially inefficient as failing to act on climate change.” Karen Pittel added that companies do not act out of moral motivation alone, but primarily when policy frameworks make climate-friendly behaviour economically rational – a challenge that is particularly acute in today’s global context. 

Across all contributions, one conclusion became clear: the path from knowledge to action is complex and requires more than scientific evidence alone. It demands exchange, mutual understanding and robust institutional structures. 

Beyond the main stage, the diversity of Climate Day was evident. Scientific sessions addressed questions of adaptation, transformation and the impacts of climate change. Poster sessions, with strong participation from ECH members, offered early-career researchers a platform to present their work and engage with established experts. ACRP sessions connected current research projects with funding bodies and practice-oriented perspectives. 

Informal exchange proved equally important. The icebreaker event on the eve of the conference, organised by the ECH, provided an open setting for initial conversations. On Thursday evening, a joint event with the City of Vienna, featuring Climate Director Andreas Januskovecz and ECH Co-Director Thilo Hofmann, further deepened the dialogue. 

By the end of the three days, one message stood out clearly: climate research today depends fundamentally on collaboration and its societal impact relies on thinking beyond disciplinary boundaries. 

The Climate Day demonstrated that this is not an abstract aspiration, but a lived practice: through the exchange of findings, uncertainties, expectations and possible pathways for action. 

Or, in the spirit of the conference motto: those who want to shape change must build bridges.