Promotions in Upper Austria

Federal and state governments use subsidies as a governance tool to promote certain activities, techniques or products. These subsidies, aids and grants can also promote environmentally counterproductive developments and exacerbate the problem of external environmental costs. For the Land of Upper Austria, the Federal Environment Agency analysed a selection of such subsidies with regard to their impact on the environment. The analysis focuses on support in the areas of transport/mobility, construction/living, tourism and agriculture. The results show that consideration of environmental and sustainability aspects in subsidy policy is important. The report also proposes solutions on how funding in the selected areas can lead to a reduction of negative environmental effects.