Austria

National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan

Western EuropeApplies 2024–2030Source: Biodiversity Strategy Austria 2030+

1. Overview

The Biodiversity Strategy Austria 2030+ (Biodiversitätsstrategie Österreich 2030+) is Austria's national biodiversity strategy, issued by the Federal Ministry for Climate Action, Environment, Energy, Mobility, Innovation and Technology (BMK) under Federal Minister Leonore Gewessler [§3]. Its development was mandated by the 2020–2024 Government Programme, in which the Federal Government committed to a cross-sectoral strategy to halt biodiversity decline and initiate a positive trend [§3, §4].

The strategy is organised as a Ten-Point Programme containing ten national commitments*: six substantive national commitments (status and trends of species and habitats; protection and connectivity; ecosystem restoration; land-take reduction; mainstreaming and transformative change; global engagement) and four enabling-condition national commitments (legal framework; financing; societal appreciation; scientific basis) [§12–§14]. More than 300 actions are grouped into immediate measures (by 2026) and medium-term measures (by 2030), with 2020 as the default baseline year and 2030 as the default target year unless otherwise stated [§4, §10].

The strategy positions itself as Austria's delivery vehicle for the EU Biodiversity Strategy for 2030 and the forthcoming EU Nature Restoration Law, with numeric alignment across agricultural, restoration and protected-area targets [§17, §47, §50, §86, §92]. It was agreed in the National Biodiversity Commission following the participatory "Biodiversity Dialogue 2030" (see Monitoring and Accountability). The 2050 vision — "We live in harmony with our nature. The loss of species and habitats has been halted. Damaged ecosystems have been restored and make an important contribution to climate protection" — was selected by youth online vote via wildentschlossen.at [§11].

Austria's NBSAP is a cross-sectoral ten-commitment programme with explicit federal/Länder competence division, quantitative alignment to the EU Biodiversity Strategy 2030, and a newly established Biodiversity Fund as central domestic financing vehicle. Reporting runs through an interim report in 2026 and a final evaluation in 2030 via the National Biodiversity Commission.

Sources:

§3 — Foreword
§4 — Summary: Biodiversity Strategy Austria 2030+
§10 — Introduction > Development of the Biodiversity Strategy Austria 2030+
§11 — Vision Biodiversity Austria 2050
§12–§14 — The Ten-Point Programme

2. Ecological Context

Austria is a landlocked alpine country; the NBSAP contains no marine or coastal commitments. Within the EU Habitats and Birds Directive reporting framework, the strategy characterises the development of conservation status and trends of EU-protected assets in Austria as presenting "an unsatisfactory picture" [§7]: 44% of habitat types and 34% of Habitats Directive species are in unfavourable-bad conservation status, and 58% of biotope types are endangered [§17].

Threat is unevenly distributed across ecosystems. The proportion of biotope types assigned to a threat category is highest in grassland (90%), peatlands, marshes and spring fens (83%), and water bodies (76%) [§7]. Among vertebrates, the proportion of endangered species (CR/EN/VU) reaches 64% for reptiles and 60% for amphibians; for other vertebrate groups, between 26% and 46% [§7]. 68% of Habitats Directive mire habitats are in unfavourable-bad status, with none in favourable status.

The NBSAP adopts the IPBES framing of five principal drivers — land-use change, direct resource extraction, climate change, pollution and invasive alien species — and states these apply to Austria [§8]. Analysis of FFH species and habitat-type pressures identifies hydrological changes (including loss of wetlands), agriculture (abandonment, intensification, plant protection products, over-fertilisation), forestry (removal of deadwood) and land take as particularly significant [§8]. Recorded baselines include daily land take of 11.5 ha (of which 4.83 ha is soil sealing), 33,000 ha of forest affected by invasive alien tree species, 48 pollinator-relevant FFH habitat types, and a Farmland Bird Index of 62.9% in 2020 against a 1998 baseline of 100 [§10 (Q10 data), §36, §60, §92].

Sources:

§7 — Biodiversity is endangered
§8 — The causes of biodiversity loss must be recognised
§17 — Target 1 > Objectives (FFH/Birds Directive baselines)
§36 — Farmland Bird Index
§60 — Invasive alien tree species
§92 — Land take baseline

3. National Commitments and GBF Alignment

Austria's Ten-Point Programme sets six substantive national commitments and four enabling-condition national commitments. Each is introduced by a headline objective followed by quantified sub-commitments under its sectoral subsections.

National Commitment 1 — Status and trends of species and habitats

Statement: Improvement of the status and trends of species and habitats [§13]. The NBSAP commits that at least 30% of Habitats Directive and Birds Directive protected assets currently not in favourable conservation status are in favourable status or positive trend by 2031; 30% of endangered biotope types and 30% of endangered species show improved status or positive trend; decline in wild pollinators is reversed; introduction, establishment and impacts of invasive alien species reduced [§17, §24].

GBF mapping: Targets 4, 6, 10, 7 (in part). Instruments: ÖPUL agri-environmental programme; Forest Strategy 2020+; Plant Protection Products Act; EU Regulation 1143/2014 on invasive alien species; Austrian Action Plan on Alien Species; Austrian Red Lists [§35, §49, §46, §23, §59]. Indicators: FFH Article 17 report; Birds Article 12 report; Farmland Bird Index (62.9% in 2020, target ≥75%); Woodland Bird Index; Red List update cycles [§17, §36, §137]. Measurability: Mixed. The 30%/30%/30% headline and Farmland Bird Index ≥75% are measurable commitments. Reversal of pollinator decline and reduction of IAS impacts are directional aspirations (intent and direction without quantitative thresholds).

Subsidiary sectoral sub-commitments under National Commitment 1

Agricultural landscape: 10% of agricultural area as biodiversity-promoting landscape elements; 12% extensive grassland share; 35% organic share of agricultural area by 2030 (from 26% in 2019, "subject to corresponding market development"); 55% organic share in public procurement; 20% ÖPUL area increase for rare crops; 5% increase in ÖPUL orchard trees (2023→2027); 30% increase in endangered livestock breeds [§36, §40, §43]. Measurable commitments.
Plant protection and nutrients: 50% reduction in HRI-1 group-3 plant protection products (2015–2017 vs. 2028–2030); 50% reduction in nutrient losses from fertilisers; 20% reduction in mineral fertiliser demand [§47]. Measurable commitments with conditional language ("taking into account European requirements ... as well as regional conditions and advance contributions already made by Austria").
Forests: Increases in naturalness, forest biodiversity, heterogeneous age structures, protective-forest resilience; deadwood at least stable on average with increases in >20 cm dimensions (baseline 30.9 m³/ha deadwood >10 cm; 4.3 solid m³/ha standing deadwood >20 cm); forest fragmentation minimised (baseline effective mesh size 77 km²); area share of established invasive alien tree species does not increase further (baseline 33,000 ha) [§50, §53, §56, §60]. Largely directional aspirations with quantitative baselines but few explicit thresholds.
Water bodies and fisheries: Good ecological status or potential achieved in priority areas under the 3rd National River Basin Management Plan; sustainable fisheries established [§67, §70]. Directional aspirations.
Settlements and light pollution: Biodiversity-appropriate management measures in 50% of municipalities; light pollution reductions of 20, 10 and 0.02 µW/m²/a for city centre, outskirts and rural settlements; 80% of public urban green spaces and 50% of transport-route green spaces near-naturally designed [§28, §32, §92]. Measurable commitments.

National Commitment 2 — Protection and connectivity

Statement: Effective protection and connectivity of all ecologically valuable habitats [§13]. At least 30% of the national territory under effective protection (IUCN I–VI); decisive increase in the share of strictly protected areas within the 30%; natural forest reserves network increased by 50% to 13,000 ha (from 8,602 ha as of 1 February 2022); connectivity secured through habitat corridors [§81].

GBF mapping: Target 3 (in substance), Target 1. Note: the NBSAP does not use "30 by 30" or "OECM" framing. Instruments: Nature-conservation law of the nine federal provinces; national parks and the Dürrenstein-Lassingtal Wilderness Area; ÖBf AG contractual compensation models; Water Rights Act §55g flowing-water protection programmes [§80, §82]. Indicators: Baseline 3% strictly protected, 14% protected, 12% low-level protection; natural forest reserves area (8,602 ha → 13,000 ha) [§80, §81]. Measurability: Measurable commitment (30% territory; 13,000 ha reserves) combined with a directional aspiration on the strictly-protected share within the 30% (no threshold stated beyond "decisively increased"; the EU target of 10% strictly protected is framed as a participatory process to 2030).

National Commitment 3 — Restoration

Statement: Restoration of ecosystems particularly important for biodiversity and climate protection [§13]. Restoration measures on a share (defined by the forthcoming EU Restoration Act) of damaged mire FFH habitat types; preservation of all floodplain areas in the Austrian floodplain inventory (in preparation); restoration on 30% of priority-classified floodplains; 5,000 ha of degraded or lost floodplain restored as effective flood retention; 1,000 km of aquatic longitudinal and lateral connectivity achieved [§86, §89].

GBF mapping: Target 2, Target 11, Target 8. Instruments: Austrian Mire Strategy 2030+; Floodplain Strategy for Austria 2030+ (in preparation); 3rd National River Basin Management Plan (NGP); EU Nature Restoration Law (pending) [§85]. Indicators: Priority need baselines of 12,435 ha mire objects (level 1), 18,000 ha floodplains (level 1), 6,000 river km, 5,000 ha still waters; FFH mire conservation status (68% unfavourable-bad) [§85, §86]. Measurability: Measurable commitments (5,000 ha, 1,000 km, 30% of priority floodplains) alongside directional aspirations (hydrological restoration outcomes).

National Commitment 4 — Land take and fragmentation

Statement: Decisive reduction of land take and fragmentation [§13]. Daily land take reduced to 2.5 ha from the 11.5 ha baseline (4.83 ha daily sealing), carried over from the Government Programme 2020–2024; biotope connectivity through habitat corridors permanently secured [§92].

GBF mapping: Targets 1, 12. Instruments: Austrian Spatial Development Concept 2030 (ÖREK 2030); Environmental Impact Assessment Act 2000 (UVP-G 2000); Art. 15a B-VG framework agreement between Federation and provinces; nationwide cadastre for compensatory areas; a forthcoming soil strategy [§93, §94]. Indicators: Daily land take (ha/day); commercial-premises land take (2.9 ha/day baseline); near-natural share of public green spaces [§92, §106]. Measurability: Measurable commitment (2.5 ha/day; 80%/50% near-natural green spaces). The connectivity pledge is a directional aspiration.

National Commitment 5 — Mainstreaming and transformative change

Statement: Initiating transformative change in society and integration of biodiversity into all sectors ("Mainstreaming") [§13]. Ecological footprint per person reduced by 50% (from 5.31 gha); biodiversity coordinated with climate protection; complete phase-out of fossil-source electricity generation with 100% renewable electricity by 2030 and full fossil-energy phase-out by 2040; by 2040 motorised individual transport by trips reduced to 42% (from 64%), transport performance to 33.2 km/person/day (from 35.4), rail-freight modal split raised to 40% [§96, §98, §101, §103].

GBF mapping: Targets 14, 16, 8, 11. Instruments: Austrian Action Plan for Sustainable Public Procurement (naBe); Mobility Master Plan 2030; Renewable Energy Expansion Act (EAG); Austrian Ecolabel (Umweltzeichen); Pendlerpauschale and Dienstwagenprivileg reforms [§95, §102, §104]. Indicators: Ecological footprint gha/person; net greenhouse-gas emissions (73.6 Mt in 2020 baseline); modal-split shares [§96, §98, §103]. Measurability: Measurable commitments across energy, transport and footprint.

National Commitment 6 — Global engagement

Statement: Strengthening global engagement [§13]. 100% increase in international biodiversity financing from the 2015–2020 mean of EUR 21.7 million (bilateral and multilateral ODA plus other official flows); doubling of sustainable food share in food imports; biodiversity consistently taken into account in bilateral and multilateral development cooperation [§119, §121].

GBF mapping: Targets 19 (international), 16, 13, 17, 20. Instruments: Austrian Development Agency (ADA); OEZA development cooperation; Austrian Development Bank (OeEB); ABS information initiative (including Digital Sequence Information); migratory-bird partnerships [§118, §120]. Indicators: Public international biodiversity financing (EUR); number of EZA strategies and programmes anchoring biodiversity, "in line with the Financial Reporting Framework of the CBD" [§119]. Measurability: Measurable commitments (100% increase; doubled share).

National Commitments 7–10 — Enabling conditions

Austria explicitly separates four enabling-condition commitments from the six substantive ones — structurally unusual among NBSAPs.

7. Legal framework — "Options for any necessary adjustments to the legal situation ... have been discussed" [§124]. Directional aspiration (baseline data "currently not available"; evaluation parameter: "Study completed, dialogue group established").
8. Financing — Sufficient financial resources available; biodiversity-damaging funding reduced, redirected or stopped; biodiversity-promoting financial products developed [§128]. Directional aspiration — no baseline data currently available, no quantified reform volume. Treated in full in Section 6 (Finance).
9. Appreciation in society and economy — Awareness increased (baseline 77% seeing a responsibility for nature, 2018); biodiversity prominently anchored in curricula of all school levels [§132]. Directional aspiration (baseline without explicit target threshold).
10. Scientific basis — Sufficient data quality on genetic diversity, species and habitats; systematic nationwide monitoring implemented and long-term secured; central Biodiversity Information System Austria (BISA) established analogous to the EU BISE portal [§136]. Directional aspiration with measurable outputs (index to be developed, BISA to be established).

Sources:

§13–§14 — The Ten-Point Programme > targets and prerequisites
§17, §20, §24, §28, §32, §36, §40, §43, §47 — Target 1 objectives
§50, §53, §56, §60, §64, §67, §70 — Target 1 forests, wildlife, water
§80–§82 — Target 2 protected areas
§85–§89 — Target 3 restoration
§91–§94 — Target 4 land take
§95–§115 — Target 5 mainstreaming subsectors
§117–§121 — Target 6 global engagement
§124, §128, §132, §136 — Prerequisites 7–10

4. Delivery Architecture

Implementation is steered by the BMK with named "key actors" assigned for each measure area. Landowners and land managers are to be involved in all implementation measures relevant to them, with additional management expenditure or set-aside income losses "financially compensated" through private-law contracts [§4, §10].

Agriculture and forestry. The Austrian Agri-Environmental Programme (ÖPUL) — including the UBB (Environmentally Sound and Biodiversity-Promoting Management) and BIO organic measures — is the central delivery instrument, funded through the EU's EAFRD under the Common Agricultural Policy, with Integrated Administration and Control System (INVEKOS) administration [§35, §41]. Plant protection is governed by the Plant Protection Products Act (2011) (implementing EU Regulation 1107/2009), with the National Action Plan on the sustainable use of plant protection products (NAP) and Plant Protection Warning Service as operational instruments [§46, §48]. The Forest Act, Forest Strategy 2020+, and Austrian Forest Inventory (ÖWI) frame forest delivery; the Forest & Hunting Dialogue (Forst & Jagd-Dialog) and Wildlife Impact Monitoring (WEM) are named conflict-management and evaluation platforms; the NBSAP commits to a legally binding phased plan for lead-ammunition phase-out and a ban on non-biodegradable plastic wads in shotgun ammunition [§49, §52, §65].

Water, mires and floodplains. The 3rd National River Basin Management Plan (NGP) under the Water Framework Directive is the principal delivery vehicle, together with the Water Rights Act, Water Body Development and Risk Management Concepts (GE-RM), the Renewable Energy Expansion Act (EAG), and the Fish Index Austria (FIA) [§66, §68, §71]. The Austrian Mire Strategy 2030+ (BMLRT 2022) and the Floodplain Strategy for Austria 2030+ (in preparation) are the sectoral restoration instruments [§85].

Protected areas. The federal provinces legislate and enforce nature conservation law; the Federation is responsible for national park establishment and operation. The Dürrenstein-Lassingtal Wilderness Area (implemented 2021, Styria) is delivered through Austrian Federal Forests (ÖBf AG) contractual nature-conservation models compensating renunciation of use [§80]. The Austrian Action Plan on Alien Species and EU Regulation 1143/2014 (28 of 66 Union-list species present in Austria) frame IAS management [§23, §59].

Spatial planning and land take. Implementation is steered through the Austrian Spatial Development Concept 2030 (ÖREK 2030) with instruments including provincial quantitative targets, building-land mobilisation, brownfield recycling, withdrawal of building-land designations and contract-based spatial planning. Medium-term, cross-provincial protection of agricultural land is to be anchored in an Art. 15a B-VG framework agreement between the Federation and the provinces [§93, §94].

Public procurement and sustainable consumption. The Austrian Action Plan for Sustainable Public Procurement (naBe) — adopted 2010, updated by Council of Ministers decision in June 2021 — is binding for federal institutions and the Federal Procurement Agency (Bundesbeschaffung GmbH) and recommended for provinces and municipalities, covering 16 procurement groups against a public procurement volume of approximately 14% of GDP [§95]. The Austrian Ecolabel (Umweltzeichen) supports voluntary labelling.

International. Delivery runs through the Austrian Development Agency (ADA), OEZA and OeEB, with engagement under CBD, ABS/Nagoya Protocol, Cartagena Protocol, IPBES, FAO, UNFCCC, CITES and the Ramsar Convention [§118, §120, §123].

Sources:

§10 — Key actors and compensation mechanism
§23, §25, §59 — Invasive alien species instruments
§35, §41, §46, §48 — Agriculture and plant protection
§49, §52, §65 — Forestry and hunting
§66, §68, §71, §85 — Water and restoration strategies
§80, §82 — Protected areas
§93, §94 — Spatial planning
§95 — Public procurement
§118, §120, §123 — International

4a. Flex Section: EU alignment and the biodiversity check

The EU Biodiversity Strategy for 2030 and the forthcoming EU Nature Restoration Law are cited across essentially every substantive national commitment, with Austria's numerical targets directly mirroring EU ones: 50% reduction in chemical pesticide risk (HRI-1 group 3) [§47], 50% reduction in nutrient losses [§47], approximately 25% organic (Austria sets 35% of agricultural area) [§40], 10% of agricultural area as biodiversity landscape elements [§36], 30% territory protected and participatory process towards 10% strictly protected [§81], Nature Restoration Law-framed mire and floodplain targets [§86], and EU Taxonomy / NFRD alignment in finance and corporate reporting [§130].

Austria complements this with a novel biodiversity check, to be carried out in conjunction with the existing climate check for laws, regulations and funding programmes. The biodiversity check is made mandatory for international (trade) agreements and EU requirements including the Common Agricultural Policy [§125]. Key actors are BMK, the federal provinces, the Landtage (state parliaments) and the Nationalrat (National Council) [§126]. The check operationalises mainstreaming at the legislative-instrument level rather than only at the sectoral-programme level and positions Austria's NBSAP as the national delivery instrument for the EU framework.

4b. Flex Section: Federal–Länder competence architecture

Under Articles 10 to 15 of the Federal Constitutional Law (Bundes-Verfassungsgesetz, B-VG), competence for biodiversity-relevant matters is divided [§123]:

Federal provinces (nine Länder): nature conservation, hunting, fishing and spatial planning — both legislation and enforcement.
Federation: agriculture, forestry, water management; Strategic Environmental Assessment; air pollution control; climate protection; CITES; development cooperation; national park establishment and maintenance; implementation of international conventions.
Environmental Impact Assessment Act 2000 (UVP-G 2000): implemented by Federation and provinces depending on project type.
Municipalities: land-use designation and development planning; an annual procurement volume of EUR 22 billion gives them direct influence on local habitats [§95].

This architecture shapes every implementation clause. Because nature conservation is a Länder competence, federal delivery relies on Art. 15a B-VG framework agreements (used for medium-term cross-province protection of agricultural land) [§94], on private-law contractual nature conservation (as in the ÖBf AG compensation model for Dürrenstein-Lassingtal [§80]), and on the consent of and compensation to landowners where areas are placed under protection [§4, §10]. For the biodiversity check, key actors explicitly include both Landtage and Nationalrat [§126].

5. Monitoring and Accountability

The strategy was developed through the Biodiversity Dialogue 2030 (Biodiversitätsdialog 2030): 2019 workshops with provincial and federal administrations, social partners, chambers, landowners, academia and NGOs; a summer 2020 public consultation generating approximately 800 responses and approximately 2,200 individual comments; a limited review procedure; and agreement in the National Biodiversity Commission (Nationale Biodiversitätskommission), in which all responsible actors from the relevant sectors and further stakeholders are represented [§10]. The 2050 vision was selected by youth online vote via wildentschlossen.at [§11].

Reporting timeline. Implementation is reviewed through an interim report in 2026 — in which the immediate measures are subjected to an initial performance review — and an overall evaluation after 2030, both via the National Biodiversity Commission [§4, §10]. The EU Earth Observation Programme (Copernicus) supports evaluation [§10].

Monitoring framework. The NBSAP commits to developing and long-term securing a nationwide Austrian Biodiversity Monitoring Programme (Österreichisches Biodiversitäts-Monitoringprogramm, ÖBM), integrating the Copernicus Land Monitoring Service, citizen science with quality control, and an autonomous low-maintenance measurement-point network across all habitats (including soil) and associated biotic and abiotic factors [§137]. A central Biodiversity Information System Austria (BISA) is to be established analogous to the EU BISE portal, publicly accessible subject to data protection and to safeguarding sensitive data such as breeding sites of rare species [§136, §137]. Monitoring is to be extended under the NEC Directive 2016/2284 (transposed in BGBl. I No. 75/2018) to peatlands, nutrient-poor grasslands and other habitats [§137]. A biodiversity index for Austria is to be developed [§137] — no value exists yet. Known data gaps include Habitats Directive Article 17 reporting limits (e.g. wolf, leech) and unknown population trend for approximately 4% of breeding birds under Birds Directive Article 12 reporting [§136].

Evaluation parameters (Austria's term for indicators) are specified per measure area, including Farmland Bird Index, Fish Index Austria, UZ49 count, Red List update cycles, greenhouse-gas emissions and vegetation/altitudinal distribution in high-mountain areas [§98, §128, §134, §137]. International reporting uses EUR of public international biodiversity financing "in line with the Financial Reporting Framework of the CBD" [§119].

Sources:

§4 — Summary (reporting timeline)
§10 — Development and governance architecture
§11 — Vision selection
§119 — International reporting
§123 — Federal/Länder competence
§125, §126 — Biodiversity check and key actors
§132, §134, §137 — Awareness, education, monitoring

6. Finance and Resource Mobilisation

The NBSAP commits to increasing resources for conservation and sustainable use while largely phasing out biodiversity-damaging funding and subsidies, with three headline objectives: sufficient resources available; biodiversity-damaging funding reduced, redirected or stopped; and public and private biodiversity-promoting financial products developed [§127, §128]. The strategy notes that "no baseline data are currently available" on these objectives [§128], and it does not state a consolidated national domestic biodiversity budget figure. Financing is framed by the European Commission's estimate that non-implementation of EU nature legislation costs EUR 50 billion per year (EC 2020) [§4].

Domestic channels. The newly established Biodiversity Fund (Biodiversitätsfonds) is the central domestic financing vehicle — the strategy commits to "adequate financial endowment ... with transparent allocation of resources and evaluation of results" [§129] but cites no euro amount. It operates alongside the Austrian Forest Fund (Waldfonds), EU co-financed biodiversity measures under the Common Agricultural Policy (ÖPUL), and ecological-status funding for water bodies [§4, §127]. EU sources analysed include Structural Funds, EAFRD, Fisheries Fund, LIFE and Horizon Europe [§129]. A gravel levy with earmarking for nature conservation or landscape management funds and a landscape conservation levy in all federal provinces for landscape-consuming measures such as mineral raw material extraction are to be examined [§110, §129]. Examination of compensation concepts for non-marketable ecosystem services of agriculture outside the CAP, and of an interim financing model for NGOs, is also foreseen [§129].

Harmful-incentive reform. The NBSAP names two specific fiscal levers in transport — the commuter tax allowance (Pendlerpauschale) and the company car privilege (Dienstwagenprivileg) — as examples of biodiversity-relevant incentives to be changed [§104, §129]. No quantified subsidy-reform volume is stated.

Financial-sector and corporate reporting. The strategy commits to implementing the EU Taxonomy as it becomes available, developing impact-investment and green-bond products integrated with biodiversity criteria (including via the Austrian Ecolabel UZ49), and developing a standardised rating system (e.g. an adapted ESG rating) to map biodiversity impact across companies, organisations and production chains [§130]. The Sustainability and Diversity Improvement Act (Nachhaltigkeits- und Diversitätsverbesserungsgesetz) — which transposes the EU NFRD (Directive 2014/95) — is to be amended to include the obligation to report biodiversity impacts, with adaptation of the GRI 304 biodiversity standard for practical implementation [§130]. (The "Diversity" in this Act name refers to corporate board diversity under the NFRD, not to biodiversity.) Evaluation parameters include level of funding and number of UZ49-certified financial products [§128].

International financing. Austria commits to a 100% increase in international biodiversity financing from a 2015–2020 mean baseline of EUR 21.7 million (bilateral and multilateral ODA plus other official flows), a gradual increase in overall development cooperation resources towards 0.7% of GNI with an increasing biodiversity-relevant share, funds for 30 annual scholarships in biodiversity-oriented land management for students from developing countries, and migratory-bird partnerships [§119, §120].

Key institutional actors for finance are BMAW, BMEIA, BMF, BMK, BML, the federal provinces, and enterprises [§130].

Sources:

§4 — Financing mix and EUR 50 billion figure
§104 — Transport levers
§110 — Gravel levy
§119 — International financing baseline and 100% target
§120 — Scholarships and partnerships
§127–§130 — Funding chapter (Prerequisite 8)

7. GBF Target Coverage

Target 1 — Spatial planning

Tier 1 — Addressed. Austria addresses spatial planning across several channels rather than through a single commitment. Daily land take is to be reduced to 2.5 ha from 11.5 ha, with at least 80% of public urban green spaces and 50% of transport-route green spaces designed near-naturally. Delivery runs through the Austrian Spatial Development Concept 2030 (ÖREK 2030), a forthcoming Art. 15a B-VG framework agreement on agricultural-land protection, a nationwide cadastre for compensatory areas, a forthcoming soil strategy, spatial-planning safeguarding of habitat corridors, and designation of priority and exclusion zones for renewable energy. Constitutional competence rests with the federal provinces and municipalities.

Target 2 — Ecosystem restoration

Tier 1 — Addressed. Chapter 3 is dedicated to restoration and is explicitly framed as Austria's contribution to the EU Nature Restoration Law. Priority baselines identify 12,435 ha of mire objects, 18,000 ha of floodplains (80,000 ha high-potential), 6,000 river kilometres, and ~5,000 ha of still waters. Commitments include 5,000 ha of floodplain restored as flood retention, 1,000 km of longitudinal and lateral aquatic connectivity, restoration on 30% of priority-classified floodplains, and preservation of all floodplain areas in the forthcoming Austrian floodplain inventory. Delivery instruments are the Austrian Mire Strategy 2030+ and the Floodplain Strategy for Austria 2030+.

Target 3 — Protected areas (30x30)

Tier 1 — Addressed. At least 30% of national territory is to be under effective protection (IUCN Categories I–VI), functionally optimised through Green Infrastructure. The share of strictly protected areas within the 30% is to be "decisively increased," with a participatory process initiated towards the EU biogeographical target of 10% strictly protected, and the natural forest reserves network increased by 50% to 13,000 ha (from 8,602 ha). The Green Belt (Grünes Band), ÖBf AG contractual compensation models and Water Rights Act §55g flowing-water protection programmes support delivery. The NBSAP does not use "30 by 30" or OECM framing explicitly.

Target 4 — Species recovery and genetic diversity

Tier 1 — Addressed. The NBSAP commits that 30% of endangered biotope types and 30% of endangered species show improved status or a positive trend, with FFH baselines of 44% habitat types and 34% species in unfavourable-bad status. Delivery emphasises the knowledge base — DNA barcoding and eDNA metabarcoding via the Austrian Barcode of Life (ABOL) initiative, the OSCA consortium and DiSSCo participation, updated Red Lists for vertebrates, butterflies, grasshoppers, dragonflies and biotope types, and a new Red List of wild bees. Research on genetic diversity of native flora targets identification of autochthonous seed adapted to changed climate conditions.

Target 5 — Sustainable harvest and trade

Tier 2 — Mentioned. Sustainable use is handled sectorally through fisheries — where 46% of native fish species are in Red List categories CR/EN/VU — and internationally through Austria's advancement of biodiversity protection in CITES alongside CBD, Nagoya/Cartagena Protocols, IPBES, FAO and UNFCCC. No quantitative target on overexploitation, bycatch or legality of harvest is stated.

Target 6 — Invasive alien species

Tier 1 — Addressed. EU Regulation 1143/2014 is identified as the essential instrument (28 of 66 Union-list species present in Austria; 33,000 ha forest area affected by invasive alien tree species). Commitments include preparation of a pathway action plan, national risk assessments, continuation of the "Gebietsfremde invasive Arten" platform, targeted control on road and railway embankments, and intensified invasion-ecology research. The NBSAP explicitly acknowledges that the prior Forest Strategy target on uncontrolled spread of invasive tree species has not been achieved. Gene drive is specifically named as a research-priority topic for impact assessment.

Target 7 — Pollution reduction

Tier 1 — Addressed. The NBSAP commits to a 50% reduction in HRI-1 group-3 plant protection products (2015–2017 vs. 2028–2030), 50% reduction in nutrient losses from fertilisers, and 20% reduction in mineral fertiliser demand. Light pollution is treated as a named category, with reductions of 20, 10 and 0.02 µW/m²/a for city centre, outskirts and rural settlement areas. Integrated monitoring of chemical plant protection impacts, minimised road-salt use and peat-free garden communication are additional measures. Plastic pollution and food waste are not addressed as numerical targets.

Target 8 — Climate and biodiversity

Tier 1 — Addressed. Subsection 5.1 sets the objective that biodiversity and climate are coordinated, with a 2020 baseline of 73.6 Mt net greenhouse-gas emissions. Measures include supplementing federal and provincial climate/energy plans with biodiversity content, Carbon Farming incentives for agricultural soil carbon storage, protected-area connectivity for climate-driven range shifts, and conservation of green spaces for carbon storage and natural-hazard protection. Restoration commitments in Chapter 3 are explicitly positioned as climate-protection measures.

Target 9 — Wild species use and benefits for vulnerable populations

Tier 3 — Not identified. Content addressing GBF Target 9 was not identified in this NBSAP.

Target 10 — Sustainable agriculture, aquaculture, fisheries and forestry

Tier 1 — Addressed. Commitments include 35% organic share of agricultural area by 2030 (from 26% in 2019; "subject to corresponding market development"), 10% biodiversity landscape elements on agricultural area, 12% extensive grassland, Farmland Bird Index ≥75% (62.9% in 2020), a 20% ÖPUL-area increase for rare crops, a 5% increase in ÖPUL orchard trees, and a 30% increase in endangered livestock breed animals. Delivery is via ÖPUL/UBB, the BIO measure under EAFRD, and the Austrian Forest Strategy 2020+.

Target 11 — Ecosystem services and nature-based solutions

Tier 1 — Addressed. Restoration is framed as combined delivery of biodiversity, climate protection, natural-hazard avoidance and other ecosystem services — explicitly 5,000 ha floodplain as flood retention. Open and green spaces are conserved for carbon storage, flood protection, infiltration and fresh-air supply. Pollinator services receive specific attention: 48 pollinator-relevant FFH habitat types, research on ecological and economic significance of pollinators, and examination of a dedicated pollinator chair. Method development for ecosystem-service assessment is foreseen.

Target 12 — Urban biodiversity

Tier 1 — Addressed. No dedicated urban chapter; coverage is distributed across climate (§5.1), energy (§5.2), industry/trade (§5.4) and health (§5.7) subsections. Commitments include 80% of public urban green spaces near-naturally designed, de-sealing of paved areas (e.g. car parks), advisory services for ecologisation of commercial green spaces (bee-friendly planting, nesting aids), biodiversity-promoting redesign with green flat roofs, facade greening, bird-strike prevention, and activation of building-integrated photovoltaic dual solutions combining PV with roof greening. Municipalities are key implementers given their annual EUR 22 billion procurement volume.

Target 13 — Access and benefit-sharing

Tier 1 — Addressed. The NBSAP commits to an ABS information initiative taking Digital Sequence Information (DSI) into account, and to advancing biodiversity protection in CBD, ABS, Nagoya Protocol and Cartagena Protocol. The Austrian Barcode of Life (abol.ac.at) supports the knowledge base. No quantitative benefit-sharing target is stated.

Target 14 — Mainstreaming

Tier 1 — Addressed. Chapter 5 is explicitly titled "Mainstreaming," operationalised via sectoral sub-chapters on climate, energy, transport, industry/trade/commerce/consumption, raw materials, tourism and health. The naBe procurement catalogue (~14% of GDP) is binding for federal institutions. A biodiversity check paired with the climate check is applied to laws, regulations and funding programmes, and made mandatory for international (trade) agreements and EU requirements including the CAP — a distinctive mainstreaming mechanism.

Target 15 — Business disclosure

Tier 1 — Addressed. Amendment of the Sustainability and Diversity Improvement Act — transposing EU NFRD 2014/95 — is committed, including obligation to report biodiversity impacts and adaptation of the GRI 304 biodiversity standard. Further measures include a voluntary corporate biodiversity check, voluntary biodiversity accounting for products (e.g. textiles, building materials) weighted by Red List threat category, a standardised biodiversity rating system (e.g. adapted ESG), anti-greenwashing measures, and advancement of a supply-chain law with biodiversity and climate criteria at national and EU level.

Target 16 — Sustainable consumption

Tier 1 — Addressed. Ecological footprint per person is to be reduced by 50% (from 5.31 gha). The share of food from sustainable production in food imports is to double. Measures include traffic-light-style transparency in global value chains (coordinated with the EU Ecolabel, Sustainable Product Initiative and Ecodesign Directive), a strategy to reduce imports of biodiversity-damaging products (palm oil, soybean oil; biocides banned in Europe; GMOs), and the "Austria Eats Regional" (Österreich isst regional) initiative for public and school catering. Food waste is not stated as a numerical target.

Target 17 — Biosafety

Tier 2 — Mentioned. Biosafety is addressed via the Cartagena Protocol and capacity-building projects in developing countries on precautionary-critical handling of GMOs (risk assessment, socio-economic impacts, detection, monitoring). Gene drive is named as a research-priority topic. No domestic biosafety framework is described in detail.

Target 18 — Harmful subsidies

Tier 1 — Addressed. A stated objective is that biodiversity-damaging funding is reduced, redirected or stopped entirely. Immediate measures include evaluation and maximum-possible phasing-out of biodiversity-damaging incentives and subsidies — including internationally — and their restructuring into biodiversity-promoting incentives. Two specific transport-sector fiscal levers are named: the commuter tax allowance (Pendlerpauschale) and the company car privilege (Dienstwagenprivileg). No quantified subsidy-reform volume is stated.

Target 19 — Biodiversity finance mobilisation

Tier 1 — Addressed. The newly established Biodiversity Fund (Biodiversitätsfonds) is the central domestic financing vehicle, alongside the Austrian Forest Fund, CAP co-financing and EU sources (Structural Funds, EAFRD, Fisheries Fund, LIFE, Horizon Europe). A landscape conservation levy in all federal provinces and an interim NGO financing model are to be examined. International biodiversity financing is to increase by 100% from the EUR 21.7 million 2015–2020 mean, with gradual progression towards 0.7% of GNI in development cooperation. EU Taxonomy implementation, biodiversity-integrated green bonds and impact investments, and UZ49-certified financial products are named. No domestic budget total, Biodiversity Fund endowment amount, or consolidated subsidy-reform figure is cited — the NBSAP states baseline data are not currently available.

Target 20 — Capacity-building and scientific cooperation

Tier 1 — Addressed. Internationally, the NBSAP commits to technology transfer and capacity-building support, continuation of OEZA-funded higher-education strengthening, 30 annual scholarships in biodiversity-oriented land management for students from developing countries, and migratory-bird partnerships. Nationally, commitments include anchoring biodiversity in curricula at all school levels, expansion of university training in species knowledge and taxonomy, a seed-sovereignty programme, anchoring biodiversity in training of engineers, architects, economists, lawyers and medical professionals, and strengthening of data stewards, data curators and data scientists. Austria supports participation in eLTER-RI and DiSSCo and has established the OSCA consortium for collection digitisation.

Target 21 — Data and information

Tier 1 — Addressed. Chapter 10 commits to a nationwide Austrian Biodiversity Monitoring Programme (ÖBM) integrating Copernicus, citizen science (with quality control), in-situ measurement networks across all habitats (including soil), and satellite remote-sensing data. A central Biodiversity Information System Austria (BISA) is to be established analogous to the EU BISE portal, drawing on GBIF Austria; sensitive data (e.g. breeding sites of rare species) are safeguarded. NEC Directive 2016/2284 monitoring is extended to peatlands and nutrient-poor grasslands. An Austrian biodiversity index is to be developed but no value exists yet. Regular publication of monitoring reports is committed.

Target 22 — Inclusive participation

Tier 2 — Mentioned. Participation is framed in general stakeholder-engagement terms: evaluation and strengthening of mediative and participatory processes, continuation of the Biodiversity Dialogue, strengthened involvement of young people through youth organisations, and an Austria-wide multiplier network (e.g. through Chambers of Agriculture), with guest involvement in citizen-science projects under nature-sensitive tourism. Indigenous peoples and local communities, gender and marginalised-group framings are not used.

Target 23 — Gender equality

Tier 3 — Not identified. Content addressing GBF Target 23 was not identified in this NBSAP. The "Diversity" in the Sustainability and Diversity Improvement Act (Nachhaltigkeits- und Diversitätsverbesserungsgesetz) refers to corporate board diversity under the EU NFRD, not to biodiversity gender-equality commitments.