umweltbundesamt environment agency austria © cmisje

Umweltbundesamt

Environment Agency Austria

© cmisje

Umweltbundesamt ...

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… is the leading Austrian expert organisation for all environmental issues and media.

… is organised in four programmes Data & Diagnosis, Substances & Analysis, Economy & Impact and Nature & Usages

… uses an interdisciplinary approach to develop strategic perspectives for environmental policy in Austria and Europe.

Mission statement

We work for the conservation of nature and the environment and thus contribute to the sustainable development of society.

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© B. Gröger

Figures & facts

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Turnover 2008: 35 million EUR National projects ca. 25 million EUR International projects ca. 10 million EUR

Employees: 479 (full-time equivalent: 388) Percentage of university graduates: 66,4% Percentage of women: 51% Percentage of women in executive positions: 40%

History

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1985 Umweltbundesamt created by Environmental Control Act

1998 New Environmental Control Act Core tasks newly defined

1999 Legal form of company: Limited Liability Company 100% owned by the Republic of Austria (represented by the

Federal Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry, Environment and Water Management)

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Competences in the field of Environmental Protection in Austria

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Austria is a federal state and competences in the field of environment are shared between federal level and the provinces

A lot of co-ordination effort is needed to ensure effective implementation of EU legislation

The Environment Agency Austria is supporting dialogue platforms between federal level and the Provinces (e.g. „Platform Air“ = „Luftplattform“)

Federal Competences

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Examples of competences of the Federal level for law making and implementation by Provinces in the name of the Federal level („Mittelbare Bundesverwaltung“) Water protection and management Commercial industrial installations Hazardous waste and other aspects of waste management (e.g.

permitting of waste treatment facilities) Some aspects of air protection

Competences of the Provinces

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Examples of competences where law making plus implementation both lie with the Provinces: Physical planning Construction law /building permits Nature Protection Some aspects of Air protection (e.g. emissions from domestic heating

installations) Some aspects of Waste Management (mainly non hazardous waste

related)

Exceptions/Special Cases

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In same cases the law making lies with the Federal level and the implementation lies with the provinces in their own name!e.g. Environmental Impact Assessment

In some cases both law making and implementation lie with the Federal Levele.g. Protection of cultural heritage („Denkmalschutz“), where specific Federal authorities have been set up at the seats of the Provinces

Programmes & environment strategy processes

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Data & Diagnosis Environmental information

Substances & Analysis Chemicals management Substances and risk management

Economy & Impact Integrated air pollution control Plants and environmental

technology Climate change mitigation Material flow management

Nature & Usages Conservation of biodiversity Soil strategy Rural development Genetically modified organisms –

risk management Environmental impact

assessment and climate change Water policy

Sustainable development Sustainability strategies

Services

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Monitoring, management and assessment of environmental data

Scenarios for meeting environmental policy targets in Austria and in Europe

Environment strategy perspectives & recommendations for decision-makers in business, administration and politics

Strengths & competences

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Interdisciplinary expertise Environmental disciplines Software development & operation of applications Air quality monitoring, chemical & GMO analysis Project management

Networks National, European and international cooperation with

science, business and administration

Sustainable partnerships

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AIT (Austrian Institute of Technology)Climate change, substance assessment systems, monitoring, theme detection

FOEN (Federal Office for the Environment, Switzerland)Environment observation, environmental economics, water management, climate, rural areas

BfN (Federal Agency for Nature Conservation, Germany)Nature conservation, rural development, biomass, climate change

BOKU (University of Natural Resources and Applied Life Sciences, Vienna)Air & climate, soil and land uses, risk & safety

National references (selection)

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Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry, Environment and Water Management

Ministry for Transport, Innovation and Technology

Ministry of Science and Research

Health Ministry Provincial Government Offices City of Graz AGES (Agency for Health and

Food Safety)

ÖBB Austrian Federal Railways

OMV Oil and Gas Group REWE International AG Vienna airport ÖBf AG Austrian Federal

Forests Fernwärme Wien (long-

distance heating supply company)

Austrian Lotteries

International references (selection)

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European Commission DG Environment Joint Research Center Eurostat

European Environment Agency (EEA)

Environment agencies and administrations in Europe

Target countries Romania Bulgaria Croatia Serbia Bosnia & Herzegovina Montenegro Macedonia Kosovo Albania Turkey

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Contact & Information

Dr. Violeta PhilippitschUmweltbundesamt GmbHSpittelauer Lände 51090 Vienna/Austria

Tel.: +43-(0)1-31304 3241

Violeta.philippitsch@umweltbundesamt.at

www.umweltbundesamt.at

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