Urban planning, traffic and transport - key tasks of the Vienna Ombuds Office for Environmental Protection

Vienna is a growing city. By 2030, its total population will have increased to about two million. It is essential to provide an adequate living environment, i.e. quality housing, social infrastructure, shops and jobs, public transport and enough green spaces. The population’s high demands on the urban environment may lead to conflicting interests. Compromises are therefore needed to ensure high quality of life while at the same time protecting, or even expanding, the shrinking patches of nature in the city.

In the field of urban planning, traffic and transport planning, the Ombuds Office works to defend the interests of nature conservation and prevent the destruction of natural spaces. It raises awareness of current threats to humans and their habitats.

Conserving resources and protecting open spaces

Planning can provide the basis for resource-efficient urban development - not only in major urban development projects. It is equally important to protect small open spaces from being built up and surfaces from being sealed. This applies in particular to inner courtyards, parks and trees in densely built-up parts of the city. Connecting green spaces is another key objective, as it serves nature conservation (by creating a biotope network) and makes it easier for pedestrians and cyclists to access green spaces.
The Vienna Ombuds Office for Environmental Protection emphasises the importance of the above aims both in small-scale local planning (land use plans) and for large-scale concepts, plans and programmes.