Austrian research and consulting centre on climate change, risk- and energy management is looking for cooperation partners

With the rising importance of climate change and its consideration in development processes of all sorts, the global demand for such expertise will be rising over the coming years. Taking into account the financial commitments of the international community, business opportunities and need for further expertise will be increasing as well. An Austrian company active in the field of climate change adaptation develops innovative, marketable technologies and strategies for sustainable adaptation to and mitigation of climate change. These include innovations for early warning and monitoring systems for the prevention of disasters, tools for modern risk management as well as concepts for adapted land-use, water resource and forestry management. Founded in 2002, the Austrian SME has continuously extended its portfolio over time and is now one of the largest non-university research and competence centres in Austria. It can offer services ranging from climate projections and risk assessments on the regional level to multi-risk-analyses for public authorities and businesses. Based on these scientifically sound and thorough assessments, it can design and implement participatory strategy-development processes, leading among others to climate change adaptation plans and mitigation options. These can be disseminated and their impact and outreach scientifically monitored and evaluated. In the transition to a low-carbon economy, it can point out the potential for enhanced energy efficiency and increased use of renewables, using for example state-of-the-art laserscan data and the latest tools and approaches for efficient energy management. The Austrian company offers the following services: • Climate change impact studies • Hydrological modelling and flood forecasting • Geological risk assessments • Evaluation of natural hazards (environmental, social and economic evaluation) • Risk management and communication • Capacity building for Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) and Climate Change Adaptation (CCA) • Climate-sensitive risk profiling and management from the local to the international level, incl. GIS • Multi-risk assessments for the public and private sector - e.g. civil protection, emergency management authorities, energy suppliers • Calculation of damage potentials and insurance values for hydrometeorological disasters • Alternative risk transfer of weather risks; weather derivatives • Analysis of climate change impacts on critical infrastructure • Development and implementation of strategic, technical and organizational measures for prevention, preparedness and crisis management • Development and application of innovative community-based approaches • Informing and implementing DRR and CCA policy • Integration of remote sensing technologies • Descriptive presentation of the effects of climate change at local/regional levels • Compilation and coordination of existing adaptation-related initiatives and efforts in the respective community or region • Energy monitoring and reporting • Implementation of geo-databases and customer-specific GIS solutions • Evaluation and processing of laser-scan data, including the development of customised software applications • Eco- and CO2-footprint assessments • Standardised investigations of mobility and energy requirements • Involvement of stakeholders, targeted PR campaigns, and awareness-building sessions on the subject of climate protection/adaptation to climate change. The Austrian company wants to enhance its outreach by applying its knowledge and expertise globally and is looking for international partners from the public and private sectors to collaborate under service agreements and/or research cooperation agreements. Potential collaborations adress the support of decision makers, institutions, businesses, and international organizations on climate change adaption and mitigation on the basis of sound scientific knowledge.