Since September 2022, Friedrich Hinterberger, Vice President Club of Rome Austrian Chapter, has been working with other members, several Austrian universities, and the sustainability agency cooppa on two transdisciplinary research projects. In these, the focus is on supporting citizens and stakeholders at different levels to (1) formulate their own and common goals in terms of Earth4all, to develop measurement methods that support the achievement of these goals, and (3) to take concrete steps towards sustainability. 

In the SDG.visionpath project, stakeholders from the fields of business, climate, and poverty reduction began on Jan. 18, 2023, to develop a shared understanding of systems and problems for this purpose. They were initially guided by the question of the key drivers of economic growth, job satisfaction, greenhouse gas emissions, and energy poverty and what these variables influence. From this, initial “causal loop” diagrams were created, showing indirect effects between the different variables.

The individual thematic impact diagrams will be linked together in the next step. In this way, scientists and stakeholders in a “community of practice” will develop a shared understanding of the interrelationships between the Sustainable Development Goals of poverty (SDG 1), climate (SDG 13), and labour and economy (SDG 8). The next workshop is planned for 12.6.2023 at the University of Applied Arts. Then it will be about the formulation of common goals.

Already in February, a process will start in Bad Aussee, focusing on the question: “How do we deal with the climate crisis in the region?”. In cooperation with the association Biosphärenpark Dachstein – Salzkammergut – Totes Gebirge, the University of Applied Arts, the University of Natural Resources and Applied Life Sciences and the Austrian Chapter of the Club of Rome, supported by the Austria-wide StartClim program, we want to help people in the region to “adapt” to the climate crisis in a positive way. First and foremost, it is about what we want in the area. 

In a first, all-day workshop on 25.2.2023, the basis for cooperation is now to be created. The question is: What will life look like in the future for us and future generations? Is it about the WHY? Together with artists, images and stories of the future will be developed. Working groups will be formed to deepen the results until the 2nd workshop on topics such as agriculture, tourism, handicrafts, communication or legal issues, etc.

On the eve, Friday 24.2.2023, there will be a public kick-off in the Kurhaus Bad Aussee with climate expert (and also member of the Club of Rome Austrian Chapter) Helga Kromp-Kolb as keynote speaker. Diether Ribitsch (initiator of the Biospärenpark Association), Friedrich Hinterberger (project manager), Hannes Swoboda (President of the Club of Rome Austrian Chapter) and several representatives from the region will also participate.

Further full-day workshops are planned for 15.4, 6.5 and 24.6.2023. You can find more information here.