Austria

Introduction to Austria

Austria is a high-income country in Central Europe. Its vulnerability to climate change is significantly affected by its physical characteristics, such as being an alpine country and having river-based settlement patterns. About 59 percent of Austria is located in the Eastern Alps, making it susceptible to risks such as flooding, landslides, avalanches, and extreme temperatures.1 Its physical characteristics, along with high population density in major river basins like the Danube River, have put Austria at high risk for climate-related disasters despite its high institutional capacity and high adaptive readiness.2 As of 2023, the population of Austria is around 9.1 million, and the country has a GDP of around 480 billion USD.3 Austria’s economy is diverse and is based on manufacturing, services, energy, and tourism. Tourism is particularly important to the economy of the Alpine regions because it is a significant source of regional employment and income. Yet these economies are vulnerable to climate-related problems such as temperature and extreme weather patterns. Climate change is also affecting hydrological and precipitation patterns as well as glaciers in the region. Although Austria is ranked among countries with high adaptive capacity and low vulnerability, it is increasing due to subnational risks linked to geography, infrastructure exposure, and demographic change.4

Mapping Major Climate Events and Climate-Induced Displacement

Austria has experienced a growing trend of climate-related disasters over the past several decades. According to the World Bank Climate Knowledge Portal, between 1980 and 2000, there were a total of 25 natural disasters and a total of 27 more natural disasters between 2002 and 2024.5Floods and storms dominate the types of natural hazards that have occurred within Austrian territory over the past several decades, with a smaller number of landslides, heatwaves, and winter-related hazards. Flooding has been the most prominent climate-induced displacement risk in the country. In 2013, the Danube River witnessed devastating floods that led to evacuations, destruction of infrastructure, and prolonged displacement.6 Furthermore, in 2022, the Danube and its tributaries witnessed some of the most devastating floods in Austria’s recent history. These floods displaced tens of thousands of residents, especially in the provinces of upper and lower Austria, as well as the state of Vienna.7 Although most of the displaced individuals have since returned to their homes, the prolonged nature of the displacement has forced local authorities to consider measures to restrict rebuilding and development activities in flood-prone areas. Heatwaves also impose a great deal of responsibility within climate-induced displacement risks. In recent years, the country has witnessed unprecedented heatwaves, especially during the summer of 2018, 2019, and 2022. These heatwaves have been the most extreme since records began and have resulted in excessive mortality among the elderly.7 Although heatwaves oftentimes do not immediately displace residents, their impacts can be cumulative.

Mapping the Costs of the Climate Crisis

The economic costs of climate change-related disasters in Austria have increased and this can be attributed to both an increase in hazard frequency and high asset value. Recent assessments have shown that economic damages resulting from climate and weather-related disasters in Austria totaled approximately 1.7 billion euros in 2024, which was one of the costliest years for the country in terms of losses from such events.8 The economic losses were caused by severe flooding events that caused an estimated 1.3 billion in damages to housing, transportation infrastructure, and businesses.9 This was a significant increase from previous years where economic losses from climate-related hazards were estimated at around 900 million euros in 2021—rising to more than one billion euros in 2022 and 2023.8 Flooding was the primary cause of economic loss from climate and weather-related hazards in Austria. The 2002 Danube River flooding event was estimated to have caused around three billion euros in damages affecting residential areas and public utilities in Austria.9 Climate change impacts are affecting various economic sectors in Austria indirectly and this has been evident in the tourism industry that contributes around seven to eight percent of the country’s GDP and around six percent of total employment in the country.9 To add, agricultural sector has been affected by climate change impacts such as high temperatures and droughts, which have reduced crop yields and increased costs for irrigation.10

Mapping Resilience and Mitigation Pathways

Austria has put in place an extensive array of adaptation and mitigation measures with the objective of reducing climate risk and building resilience. In recent years, substantial investment has gone into flood protection infrastructure, including levee systems, retention basins, and river restoration, which improve natural water retention capacity.6 These measures have reduced damages in some regions particularly under extreme rainfall events expected under climate change. At the national level, Austria’s Climate Change Adaptation Strategy has focused on reducing disaster risk, ecosystem-based adaptation, and integrating climate change risk into spatial planning.11 Urban adaptation initiatives, such as increasing green spaces, building insulation, and early warning systems, work towards reducing heat stress and making cities more habitable. In mitigation, Austria has set itself an objective of achieving climate neutrality by 2040, which involves increasing renewable energy, improving energy efficiency, and promoting sustainable transport.11 Austria’s social welfare and disaster compensation mechanisms have also served a critical role in mitigating the effects of displacement. This is because income support, housing assistance, and disaster compensation can help families recover after a disaster strikes.

Necessary Changes

As climate impacts become more severe, existing approaches to disaster risk management and social protection in Austria need to be adapted to better respond to climate-induced displacement. Current approaches in Australia have been to provide protection and recovery in place. However, repeated exposure to floods, heatwaves, and alpine hazards suggests a growing need to provide for anticipatory action. Developing frameworks for voluntary relocation and compensation in climate-risk hotspots would enable affected populations to transition in a planned manner, as opposed to being displaced through crisis-driven displacement. Improving the integration of climate risk in spatial planning and housing policies is critical. Limiting redevelopment in climate-risk hotspots, improving access to alternative housing options in these areas, and prioritizing ecosystem-based adaptation approaches, such as floodplain restoration and natural water retention, could reduce exposure to climate hazards while addressing social inequalities.
 

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Austria at a glance

Governance and Capacity Building for Climate Resilience
*Key: 1 = low risk, 10 = high risk.
Climate Change Risk Score
Climate Change Risk Score
1.9/10
Hazard & Exposure
Floods
Floods
7.2/10
Cyclones
Cyclones
0/10
Droughts
Droughts
1.1/10
Hazard & Exposure Total
Hazard & Exposure Total
1.5/10
Vulnerability
Socio-Economic Vulnerability
Socio-Economic Vulnerability
0.3/10
Vulnerable Groups
Vulnerable Groups
5.3/10
Vulnerability Total
Vulnerability Total
3.2/10
Lack of Coping Capacity
Institutional Level
Institutional Level
2.2/10
Infrastructure Level
Infrastructure Level
0.7/10
Lack of Coping Capacity Total
Lack of Coping Capacity Total
1.5/10
Price Tag of Financing Climate Resilience Projects
Financial Needs for Mitigation
Financial Needs for Mitigation
No Data
Financial Needs for Adaptation
Financial Needs for Adaptation
No Data
Total Financial Needs
Total Financial Needs
No Data
Country’s NDCs Goals or Compliance
Historical Emissions
Historical Emissions
2,211 MtCO₂e
Total Share of Global GHG Emissions
Total Share of Global GHG Emissions
0.14%
NDCs Status
NDCs Status
Submitted New or Updated NDC with Reduced Total Emissions
GHG Target
GHG Target
At least 55% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by 2030 compared to 1990.The following information in this section is subject to revision in light of the enhanced target.“The respective emissions reductions in force at time of this submission
Global Displacement Data
Climate Induced Displaced Persons
Climate Induced Displaced Persons
1,530
Climatic Events
Climatic Events
Climatic Events
Flood; Mass Movement; Storm
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