Mission and Activities
Platform for the environment, business and authorities
The Austrian Society for Environment and Technology (OGUT) was founded as a non-party platform in 1985 – after the débacle of the Hainburg hydropower scheme – with the aim of overcoming barriers to communication in areas of conflict between economics and ecology.
The Austrian Society for Environment and Technology (OGUT) is the non-party platform for the environment, business and authorities.
With a membership comprising around 70 organizations from business, administration, employment and the environmental movement, OGUT is well equipped to forge links between its members, to process information competently and to initiate innovative ways of dealing with challenges involving the environment.
Responsibilities
The Austrian Society for Environment and Technology is a non-profit organization. OGUT is concerned with relevant issues on the interface between the environment and technology. Its responsibilities specifically include:
- Avoiding/resolving conflicts involving the environment
- Facilitating the reconciliation of interests between the various stakeholders affected by environmental policy (particularly environmental organizations, firms, employers’ and employees’ associations, and the administration)
- Boosting Austria’s environmental technologies (including transport and energy technologies) in the widest sense
- Assisting the states of Central and Eastern Europe in solving environmental problems
- Evaluating the legal, political, social and economic framework for environmental technologies and developing it further
- Informing the general public about options and hazards as regards the environment and technology
- Handling issues relevant to the environment and technology in the interest of a majority of ÖGUT’s members
In connexion with these assignments OGUT actively promotes communication and cooperation between scientific institutions, business, industry, representatives of employers and employees, the authorities, environmental organizations, the media and other relevant institutions.
OGUT’s activities are governed by the principles of non-party alignment and public utility; the results benefit the entire community.
Goals
Initiating and promoting solutions of value to the environment and the economy. Improving communication between the various lobbies within society. Preparing documents on which to base the implementation of a sustainable environmental policy.
Networking, competence and innovation are at the centre of our activities.
OGUT
- acts as a platform to initiate networking and communication between its members
- provides access to high-grade information
- promotes development and innovation in the environmental field
Key areas of activity
- Research & technology
- Ecological economy
- Europe enlarged
- Public participation
- Energy contracting
- Organizing events concerned with environmental issues of current interest
Services
- Producing studies/handling commissions
- Organizing conferences, workshops, lectures and briefings on issues of current interest
- Drawing up recommendations and documents on which to base decisions in study groups (in German only)
- Publications (manual on contracting, manual on public participation, manual on environmental mediation, market surveys for environmental technology in South-East Europe, etc.)
- Consultancy aimed at promoting environmental cooperation projects with the states of Central and Eastern Europe
- Awarding the OGUT Environment Prize (in German only) to innovative projects that satisfy environmental and economic requirements
Österreichische Gesellschaft
für Umwelt und Technik
Hollandstraße 10/46
A-1020 Wien
Tel +43.1.315 63 93
Fax +43.1.315 63 93-22
E-Mail office@oegut.at