Linz with Ambitio3xn - Linz with ambition for climate neutrality: governance, infrastructure and climate-social neighborhood Franckviertel

Starting point / motivation

Linz aims to become a climate-neutral industrial city by 2040 at the latest. Since October 2022, a city-wide climate neutrality concept is thus under development in order to define measures for rapidly decarbonizing the sectors of energy, mobility and buildings (direct and extended sphere of influence). The climate neutrality concept takes into account the strategic mission "Climate Neutral City" of the Federal Ministry for Climate Protection, Environment, Energy, Mobility, Innovation and Technology (BMK) and Linz, as a pioneer city "Linz with Ambitio3xn" plans to make an important contribution to this project.

Contents and goals

"Linz with Ambitio3xn" develops solutions for the three ambition fields of governance, implementation and learning environment, addressing the areas of energy, mobility and buildings, which together contribute around 1.4 megatons of CO2 equivalents annually to the city's greenhouse gas emissions.

In governance, urban planning instruments (cooperative planning process, urban planning commission, etc.) will be aligned with urban climate neutrality goals and the already established cross-departmental and cross-organizational work on climate issues is to be further strengthened. Regarding implementation, the existing gas infrastructure in the Franckviertel neighborhood will be decarbonized or duplicate infrastructure reduced and standards for non-profit net zero emissions residential buildings will be tested.

The transition towards climate-friendly mobility in the neighborhood will be advanced through a mix of cycling, walking and public transport measures, and energy and GHG monitoring will be implemented at the neighborhood level and later city scale. Climate-social perspectives will be included in the implementation and citizen participation will be carried out.

The implementation neighborhood should become a climate-neutral blueprint for other neighborhoods in Linz and other cities. A city-wide financing model and a guidance document will facilitate scaling. 

Regarding learning environment to, we collaborate with other national / European pioneer cities and solutions are shared with other stakeholders. For example, a city partnership for climate neutrality should be established, strategic cooperations (CCCA, Climate Lab Vienna) are being deepened and civil society is being activated through events (Climate Action Days Linz).

The project results should help to accelerate Linz's path to climate neutrality in 2040 and to establish the necessary legal framework together with the State of Upper Austria and the BMK.

Methods / implementation

By setting up a cross-departmental and cross-organizational project group, administrative innovations with regard to climate neutrality and neighborhood development are to be driven forward. Through several status quo analyses and the identification of potentials, for example, urban planning instruments will be increasingly oriented towards climate protection and the need for further RTI projects in all three ambition fields will be determined.

In the implementation area, infrastructural measures will be taken together with LINZ AG and GWG (district heating expansion, reduction of fossil dual infrastructure, installation of public e-charging stations) and citizens will be actively involved in the transformation process. Synergies will also be found with the Linz city strategy and the climate adaptation action program.

Likewise, energy and greenhouse gas monitoring will be developed and established at the neighborhood level and, in parallel, at the citywide level. In the learning environment, important framework conditions for the city's climate neutrality goals are addressed through consultations (BMK, state of Upper Austria, other stakeholders).

Expected results

The project "Linz with Ambitio3xn" will make climate mitigation more binding in urban planning and significantly reduces the fossil fuel infrastructure in the Franckviertel. The transition towards climate-friendly mobility in the neighborhood will also be accelerated significantly.

The greenhouse gas reduction potential of all implementation measures in the project is estimated to be high (over 3% relative to total emissions). "Linz with Ambitio3xn" specifically develops a blueprint for establishing climate-neutral neighborhoods in Linz and defines a financing model to eliminate duplicate gas infrastructure. Latter is believed to facilitate city-wide scaling.

Moreover, the project deepens climate mainstreaming at the Linz City Government and in the corporate group of the city of Linz.

Project management

City of Linz

City of Linz
Department for Economy, Innovation, Climate Protection and EU
Oliver Schrot PhD, MSc /7 Climate Coordinator City of Linz
Hauptplatz 1
A-4041 Linz
Tel.: +43 (732) 7070 1040
Mobil: +43 (664) 8889 3433
E-Mail: oliver.schrot@mag.linz.at
E-Mail: klima@mag.linz.at
Web: www.linz.at/umwelt/linzmitambitio3xn.php

KlimaStadtLinz2030: Linz and its path to climate neutrality by 2030 - Preparation for the EU - Mission "100 Climate-neutral Cities by 2030"

The research project investigates whether and how it is possible for the city of Linz to achieve climate neutrality by 2030 within its own sphere of influence. A common vision, which is being developed with the citizens in a participatory manner, unites the opportunities that arise for the city through the measures necessary for this goal.

Project duration: 2021 - 2023