STPionier - St. Pölten: From industrial city to climate pioneer city

Until the year 2022, the city of St. Pölten did not have a strategy or concept that dealt decisively with the climate crisis. One of the reasons for this was the lack of a responsible department in the St. Pölten administration. With the pioneer city process, a staff unit has now been established that takes on climate agendas and introduces and promotes them in municipal processes and projects.

Short Description

Starting point / motivation

In 1986, St. Pölten became the capital of Austria's largest province. This was like a starting shot into a new future. The city gradually developed from a former industrial to a dignified provincial capital and became a model for many cities and municipalities of similar size.

When the operation of the first Austrian Viscose fibre production factory ceased in 2008, environmental awareness grew increasingly and a change in the urban perspective began. Now St. Pölten is facing another historic opportunity. As a pioneer city, the city can distinguish itselfand and act as a role model in the development towards climate neutrality.

Contents and goals

In order to achieve this goal, it is necessary, among other things, to have an office that keeps track of all the necessary measures as well as their consistent implementation. Thanks to the support of the pioneer city process, a climate coordination office has now been set up and is to serve as the hub of climate protection within the administration. The newly created unit will develop ideas and projects on climate protection and climate change adaptation and support other departments in their projects in this area.

The department is currently staffed by six people and covers a wide range of expertise. This should support internal interdepartmental cooperation and promote comprehensive communication, both between the administration and politicians, as well as externally with the citizens.

In climate-neutral settlement development, the city is dependent on external developers. Both ÖBB (Austrian Federal Railways) and the non-profit housing cooperative Alpenland are planning pilot projects in the provincial capital that deal with climate protection - and here mainly with mobility and energy aspects. The city of St. Pölten will make an exemplary contribution to this by actively supporting the planning of climate-neutral pioneer urban quarters.

Methods / implementation

An essential aspect of the pioneer city process is the development of a monitoring programme regarding the achievement of the climate neutrality goals. For this purpose, the status quo of emissions in St. Pölten will be determined with a transparent and comprehensive GHG protocol at the beginning of the project and evaluated at regular intervals.

It is also important to work out climate-relevant parameters, which then have to be established. This is also necessary for participation in the Austria-wide e5 programme, to which the Climate Coordination Office now wants to devote itself, thanks to the capacities and competences it has gained.

Expected results

Based on the CO2 balancing, a reduction path can be developed, which will be the basis for the further development of the St. Pölten climate framework strategy. At the same time, while the GHG protocol is being developed, measures are already being developed and implemented across departments. This ensures that the climate coordination office is networked within the city from the very beginning, is accepted by the magistrate's staff and thus common goals can be achieved as quickly as possible.

Project Partners

Project management

St. Pölten, Staff Division II/III -Climate Coordination Unit

Contact Address

Dipl. Ing. Carina Wenda
Rathausplatz 1
A-3100 St. Pölten
Tel.: +43 (2742) 333 3552
E-Mail: klima@st-poelten.gv.at
Web: www.st-poelten.at