1. BOKU-Met Herbert Formayer Workshop on the preparation of the fourth national communications Dublin 2004 Reporting on Vulnerability assessment, climate change impacts and adaptation measures – The Austrian approach Herbert Formayer University of Natural Resources and Applied Life Sciences, Vienna - Austria Workshop on the preparation of the fourth national communications by Parties included in Annex I to the Convention 30 September - 1 October 2004 Dublin, Ireland

2. BOKU-Met Herbert Formayer Workshop on the preparation of the fourth national communications Dublin 2004 Location: Central Europe Area:~ 84.000 Km² Population:~ 8 Million BIP per capita: ~ € 25.000,-- Total greenhouse gas emissions per capita:~ 10 t Some basic facts about Austria

3. BOKU-Met Herbert Formayer Workshop on the preparation of the fourth national communications Dublin 2004 Specific circumstances of Austria Main parts within the Alps 40 % of total area above 1000 m No Coastline

4. BOKU-Met Herbert Formayer Workshop on the preparation of the fourth national communications Dublin 2004 Worldwide unique situation of the European Alps Mountainous region very densely populated. High infrastructural values due to population and trans-European transportation (goods and energy). High infrastructural values at high elevations and extreme terrain due to tourism. It is not possible to protect all this infrastructure especially against extreme events (e.g. avalanche Galtür 1999). Highest density of observing systems in a mountainous region worldwide. Long term continuous time series. In Austria since 1775 in Vienna and even since 1886 at the mountain top Sonnblick at 3106 m. High experience in data acquisition, quality control and analysis. Very high vulnerability to climate change. Best conditions to identify and analyse climate change effects in a mountainous region.

5. BOKU-Met Herbert Formayer Workshop on the preparation of the fourth national communications Dublin 2004 1856, Martens2001, Holzhauser Glacier decline in the Alps

6. BOKU-Met Herbert Formayer Workshop on the preparation of the fourth national communications Dublin 2004 Schöner, 2004 Glacier decline in the Alps Area 1978: 2.04 km² Area 1998: 1.13 km² Area decline: 45 %

7. BOKU-Met Herbert Formayer Workshop on the preparation of the fourth national communications Dublin 2004 Flood August 2002 Estimated loss in Austria: More than € 2 Billion.

8. BOKU-Met Herbert Formayer Workshop on the preparation of the fourth national communications Dublin 2004 Drought and heatwave 2003 Estimated loss in Austria: More than € 300 Million only in grassland production.

9. BOKU-Met Herbert Formayer Workshop on the preparation of the fourth national communications Dublin 2004 The Austrian approach for the NC-Chapter VI Due to the specific situation, Austria did not strictly follow the recommended Guidelines from IPCC and UNEP. We used the following structure for Chapter VI to meet the Austrian requirements best way:

10. BOKU-Met Herbert Formayer Workshop on the preparation of the fourth national communications Dublin 2004 Structure of NC-Chapter VI Expected Impacts of Climate Change Impacts on Physical Systems Mountain Cryosphere Geomorphological Processes … Impacts on Ecological Systems Ecophysiological Processes Vegetation Migration … Impacts on Socio-economic Systems Mountain Agriculture Tourism …

11. BOKU-Met Herbert Formayer Workshop on the preparation of the fourth national communications Dublin 2004 Structure of NC-Chapter VI Vulnerability Assessment Hydro- and Cryosphere Ecosystem Responses Extreme Events and Geomorphological Processes

12. BOKU-Met Herbert Formayer Workshop on the preparation of the fourth national communications Dublin 2004 Structure of NC-Chapter VI Adaptation Measures Potential of Adaptation Forest Ecosystems Avalanche, Erosion and Torrent Control Measures

13. BOKU-Met Herbert Formayer Workshop on the preparation of the fourth national communications Dublin 2004 Problems and Achievements Some efforts have been made and are on the way to diminish the above mentioned structural problems. Structural Problems The competences in Austria are distributed among several federal and state institutions. Also climate related research is spread over several Universities and Research Institutes. Therefore the compilation of comprehensive summaries needs much time for contacting all relevant institutions and research groups. No comprehensive Austrian climate change research program is established yet. The Austrian climate change research is patchy, because the selection of research areas is mainly driven by traditional competences or personal interests. Additionally the main research funding is achieved from small to medium individual research projects.

14. BOKU-Met Herbert Formayer Workshop on the preparation of the fourth national communications Dublin 2004 Developments since the 3. NC Public awareness on Climate Change has grown in Austria due to the extreme events in 2002 and 2003. Peer reviewed interdisciplinary multipart research projects have been established (e.g. StartClim) A multiyear inter- and transdisciplinary research Program will start next year (ProVision) Thank you for your attention.