Abstract
The Second Austrian Assessment Report on Climate Change is currently the largest and most important interdisciplinary analysis of the impacts of climate change and evaluation of policy options in Austria. The aim is to provide well-founded information on observed and expected manifestation of climate change, its impacts as well as options for reducing emissions and adaptation strategies. The report shows scope for climate policy but does not make any recommendations for or against specific individual measures. Instead, the report identifies risks, opportunities, barriers, trade-offs and synergies between mitigation, adaptation and other societal priorities such as achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
The report was written by over 200 scientists at more than 50 institutions following the methods and procedures of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). A scientific review process followed a rigorous, multi-stage approach based on the IPCC guidelines to ensure the highest quality standards for this Assessment Report. This publicly accessible process encouraged broad participation from the research community and involved over 100 external reviewers. This ensured that the Assessment Report presented the scientific literature in a comprehensive, clear and consistent manner.
At around 800 pages, the Assessment Report provides a comprehensive scientific basis on climate change in Austria. The report was written in English and the summaries were translated into German. The Assessment Report was made possible by a grant from the Climate and Energy Fund with financial resources from the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, Climate and Environmental Protection, Regions and Water Management.