Lienz sets standards for sustainable urban development
With an integrated inner city development concept, the current energy and GHG balance (base year 2023) and a comprehensive climate neutrality roadmap, Lienz is one of Austria's pioneers in strategic, sustainable urban development. Back in 2022, the city of Lienz, together with Bruneck, Hermagor and Spittal an der Drau, developed a regionally coordinated inner city development concept, which has since served as the strategic basis for numerous measures to make the city lively, sustainable and resilient.
"Climate protection and sustainable urban development are key tasks for the future. With the GHG balance and the upcoming scenario analysis, we are creating a solid foundation for consistently pursuing our goals until 2040," emphasises Mayor Elisabeth Blanik. "We are very pleased about the ÖGUT award, which underlines our approach."
"Lienz impressively demonstrates how ambitious climate goals can be achieved with a clear, data-based and participatory approach. Our aim is not only to provide scientific support to cities on their path to climate neutrality, but also to work with local stakeholders to design viable and realistic transformation pathways," says Markus Ray, Head of the Digital Resilient Cities Department at the AIT Austrian Institute of Technology.
AIT is developing the 2040 climate neutrality roadmap together with Lienz
As part of the federal funding programme Pionierkleinstadt (Pioneering Small Town), the AIT Austrian Institute of Technology is working closely with the municipality of Lienz to draw up a comprehensive energy and GHG balance sheet for the year 2023. Based on this, a detailed climate neutrality roadmap will be developed, based on an integrated sectoral approach and a participatory co-creation process with local stakeholders.
"With this process, we are not only creating a scientifically sound basis for Lienz, but also a clear, jointly developed vision for the future," explains Sebastian Stortecky, project manager at the AIT Austrian Institute of Technology. "Our aim is not to formulate climate neutrality as an abstract goal, but to design it as a realistically achievable development path – transparent, measurable and tangible for all relevant sectors," says Stortecky. Sectors considered for the plan include mobility, buildings, energy, industry, climate change adaptation and soil protection.
The following elements will be developed by the end of January 2026:
- BAU scenario (business-as-usual) until 2040
- KNS scenario (climate neutrality scenario) until 2040
- Catalogue of measures with sector-specific fields of action
- KPI-based monitoring concept for the municipality of Lienz
- Draft of a transfer concept for the surrounding municipalities (Planning Association 36)
Prestigious award for sustainable innovation
The ÖGUT Environmental Award has been one of Austria's most prestigious sustainability awards since 1988. In 2025, a total of 27 projects in six main categories were nominated from 252 submissions. The award recognises projects, organisations and individuals that combine innovation, climate protection and social responsibility.
The prize money of €40,000 is donated by the Federal Ministry for Innovation, Mobility and Infrastructure (BMIMI), the BMLUK, the FFG, the Austrian Association of Cities and Towns, as well as partner companies and foundations.
Pictures of the award ceremony can be found here https://www.oegut.at/de/initiativ/umweltpreis/2025/nh-kommune-lienz.php