Trees With a Future

2021

The Forum Baumkonvention is an Austrian non-profit initiative and association dedicated to protecting trees and forests from excessive safety measures driven by liability fears. Established as a nationwide platform in 2015 and formalized as an association in 2023, its primary achievement was advocating for the 2024 reform of the Austrian Civil Code (§1319b ABGB), which ensures that trees are legally treated as natural entities rather than man-made structures, thereby reducing the legal pressure on owners to pre-emptively fell or “mutilate” them. The organization provides a standardized “Tree Safety Management” guidebook to help stakeholders balance public safety with the ecological and social importance of preserving healthy tree populations.

Vienna Doughnut Day

2023

The Vienna Doughnut Day, held on November 13, 2023, was a pivotal event hosted by circular.wien to explore how the city can thrive within planetary boundaries while ensuring social equity. Guided by the “Doughnut Economics” framework, the event specifically spotlighted Vienna’s progress in key Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Core Focus Areas

• SDG 6 (Clean Water and Sanitation): The event examined the sophisticated Vienna Canalization system, emphasizing its role in maintaining urban hygiene and protecting the city’s water cycles through innovative wastewater management.
• SDG 7 (Affordable and Clean Energy): Participants looked at the Spittelau thermal waste treatment plant. This facility is a global benchmark for the “circular” approach, transforming municipal waste into clean district heating and electricity for hundreds of thousands of households.
• SDG 11 (Sustainable Cities and Communities): A major highlight was Vienna Social Housing, a world-renowned model of urban planning that ensures high-quality, affordable living spaces, fostering social integration and climate-resilient architecture.

By connecting these infrastructure pillars to the Doughnut model, the event fostered a dialogue on how Vienna can continue its legacy of high living standards without overshooting ecological limits.

Climate Guilt and Eco Shame

2025

The event, “Climate Guilt & Eco Shame: Powerful Tools or Dangerous Distractions?”, focused on the psychological toll experienced by the dedicated few who actively strive for a sustainable lifestyle. The discussion centered on the irony that those doing the most for the planet often bear the heaviest burden of “eco-shame,” feeling a sense of personal failure for not achieving a 100% waste-free existence. By framing these feelings as potential “distractions,” the session sought to validate the efforts of this small percentage of the population and dismantle the trap of individual perfectionism. Ultimately, the goal was to provide a space for reflection, helping participants shift from paralyzing guilt toward a more sustainable and resilient form of environmental advocacy.