Research

In the WindPlan project as part of IEA Wind Task 62, a practical, participatory and inclusive planning process is conducted. Various 3D and data visualisation methods are combined with gamification and planning methods in so-called LandscapeLabs! The aim is to develop and test suitable tools to improve the local to regional planning and communication of wind energy projects. Styria will be used as a case study, where a prototype revision of existing wind suitability and exclusion zones will be carried out with decision-makers, stakeholders and laypeople. The project also seeks to involve groups in the planning process that have so far been underrepresented in policy- and decision-making. The results will make a valuable contribution to achieve the Austrian climate and energy targets for 2040 and will serve as an international example of best practice within the framework of the IEA Wind Task 62.

The restoration of peatlands is increasingly perceived as a cost-effective and efficient way of reducing greenhouse gas emissions. It is therefore expected that the restoration of peatland soils can make a significant contribution to achieving national emission targets. Cultivated and drained organic soils also represent a potentially significant source of emissions in Austria. However, there is currently a lack of information and analysis on the cost-effectiveness of peatland restoration measures in Austria, taking into account different restoration measures and analyzing the reasons for the differences and ranges in costs and effectiveness. Efforts must therefore be made to systematically collect data on costs and assess the factors that explain cost differences, including spatial factors. The Money4Moor research project aims to collect detailed data on restoration costs to enable a more nuanced analysis of cost differences between different spatial scales and restoration measures.

Climate change mitigation and adaptation require transformative changes at multiple scales. While local initiatives often develop innovative solutions to climate-related challenges, many remain confined to their niche environments, limiting their potential societal impact. Despite a growing amount of literature from different fields, how and under which conditions such local climate niche initiatives (LCNIs) scale out, scale up or scale deep remains under-researched. SCALE aims to improve our knowledge on the successful scaling out of LCNIs, i.e., their geographical expansion and replication in new locations, scaling up of LCNIs, i.e., the institutional embedding and integration of initiative elements at the superordinate regime level, and scaling deep of LCNIs, i.e., the transformation of local practices, beliefs, and behaviours in communities. This is accomplished through an investigation of enabling factors for scaling at the regional level as well as a detailed case study analysis of three LCNIs in different regions and their scaling potential. The primary research focus is to identify if and how social and human capital may act as enabling factors for scaling out, scaling up and scaling deep of LCNIs, building on a mix of qualitative and quantitative methods. Following a transdisciplinary research approach, participatory interventions in the case study regions aim to support the scaling process of the LCNIs and foster social and human capital. Through a cross-case integrative analysis of the LCNIs, SCALE contributes to both theoretical understanding and practical implementation of transformative change by bridging the gap between local innovation and regional adoption. We aim to advance generalizable scaling criteria for the Austrian regional transformation policy which may inform the design of future programmes for model regions.