Improving the environmental performance with EMAS
We are confronted with enormous challenges in environmental and climate protection worldwide. Even in Austria, we can already experience the effects of climate change up close.
The increase in hot days and extreme weather events speak for itself. Committed action in the near future will determine whether we achieve the Paris Climate Goals and thus reduce the man-made greenhouse gas effect to an acceptable level.
The Austrian Climate and Energy Strategy provides a roadmap for the exit from the fossil age. Our goal is to achieve climate neutrality for Austria by 2040. You will thus find in the current government programme 2020-2024 “Out of a sense of responsibility for Austria” a comprehensive bundle of measures aimed at finding a way how the public sector can fulfil its function as a role model and how a climate-neutral administration should be realised. One measure is the area-wide implementation of environmental management systems in the federal administration. We want to and must be a pioneer and present ourselves as a modern and future-oriented administrative organisation.
We are also trying to fulfil our role model function as a modern and future-oriented administrative organisation at our own locations. 20 years ago the former Ministry of the Environment at Stubenbastei, which was then part of the Federal Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry, Environment and Water Management, was the first Ministry EU-wide to be an EMAS organisation. Since then we have gradually integrated also the other locations in the EMAS system. Year after year, we look for potential improvements and use the valuable resources as sparingly and environmentally friendly as possible.
Ministry again certified
In October 2024, another comprehensive EMAS audit was carried out. As the BML (Federal Ministry of Agriculture) and the BMK (Federal Ministry of Climate Action, Mobility, Innovation and Technology) share locations, the audit was carried out jointly with the BMK. The environmental statement was also prepared jointly for both Ministries.
The external auditor recognised and certified the central office's well-functioning EMAS environmental management system of the Ministry’s central unit. The audit furnished proof that the requirements of DIN EN ISO 14001:2015 are met.
The most important results
You can read about the direct environmental impact in detail in the environmental statement. The data relate to the year 2023 compared to 2022.
Electricity and heat
We use district heating for space heating at the Ministry's sites. Compared to the previous year, electricity consumption fell by just under 2.5 percent and heat consumption by 7 percent. The power is supplied exclusively with certified electricity (eco-labelled electricity) or electricity from 100 percent renewable energy sources. The use of UZ46-certified electricity does not only cause significantly fewer greenhouse gas emissions, but it also rules out the trade in green electricity certificates and thus possible greenwashing of electricity from fossil or nuclear sources. From 2022 onwards, all objects of the central office and agencies of the Ministry were converted to UZ46 electricity
Water consumption
Water consumption at our central office locations rose by around 17 percent. The reason: In 2023, water from the government building at Stubenring 1 had to be used due to a technical defect during the renovation of the façade.
Paper consumption
We use recycled paper and office materials that have been awarded the Austrian Ecolabel at all our locations. Thanks to the so-called follow-me printer system and double-sided printing as standard, paper consumption has been reduced by 1.5 percent. Our copy centre at Stubenring 1 also printed 21 percent less, strictly in accordance with the requirements of the Austrian Ecolabel. The copy centre has also been awarded the PEFC label.
Green Meetings
The procurement of regional, seasonal and organic food is promoted through the consistent organisation of green meetings and events.
Waste
Waste at the Federal Ministry is already separated and properly disposed of in the offices in 4 fraction waste bins. There was 15 percent less hazardous waste in 2023. The total volume of waste has risen by around 6 percent. The Ministry's e-waste collection campaign was reflected in an increase of 140 percent in this area. Household-type waste also increased by 7 percent. This amounts to 37 kilograms per person.
Mobility
The number of kilometres flown on business trips rose by 27.5 percent. The climate-friendly train was used almost 6 percent less. Business trips by car have remained constant.
The Ministry has a small fleet of vehicles. Employees have access to company bicycles, scooters and e-scooters for business trips in Vienna.
Mixed emissions balance
The emissions balance sheet shows the following picture: While emissions from the use of energy for electricity and district heating were reduced by 8.4 percent, emissions from business trips increased by 18.8 percent compared to the previous year. All in all, this results in an increase in total emissions of 6.5 percent, and, calculated on a per employee basis, an increase of 5 percent.
Details in the environmental statement
The details and the environmental programmes of both Ministries with the new measures are clearly presented in the joint Environmental Statement 2024.
Downloads
This is what EMAS stands for
EMAS (Eco-Management and Audit Scheme) stands for the continuous improvement of an organisation’s direct or indirect environmental performance.
Every day the BML’s employees work hard in legislation and administration, as well as by developing and implementing future-oriented programmes, to find innovative solutions for people and the environment, thereby ensuring the protection of our livelihoods also in the future.
Of course, we endeavour to use resources as sparingly and as environmentally benign and energy-efficiently as possible, especially in the day-to-day operation of the BML. Year after year, we still manage to implement improvements in our environmental performance. The decision in favour of the EMAS system is therefore a clear commitment to a future-oriented instrument with which we want to continue to set an example. By means of an effective mixture of measures, we will contribute to the systematic further development of preventive, company-based environmental and climate protection - for now and for future generations.