Registrations are open for the newly established International Vienna Energy and Climate Forum, which will take place for the first time on 2 and 3 November 2023 at the Hofburg Palace in Vienna. It will bring together high-level representatives from member states, international organizations, business, and science including youth representatives and more than 1,000 international experts to discuss best practices and present solutions to tackle climate change and achieve a green energy transition.
The event is jointly organized by the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO), the Federal Ministry for European and International Affairs of Austria, the Austrian Development Agency, and IIASA.
"This new Forum will present solutions to today’s energy and climate question under UNIDO’s new motto "Progress by Innovation". We have technologies to address these questions on a global level. What we need is ambition. I invite all stakeholders to present their contributions," said UNIDO Director Gerhard Müller.
The International Vienna Energy and Climate Forum welcomes opinion leaders and decision makers and supports the development of new partnerships and impact-focused solutions to meet the Sustainable Development Goals, specifically goals 7 (Affordable and Clean Energy), 9 (Industry, Innovation and Investment), and 13 (Climate Action). The event will take place only a few weeks before the United Nations Climate Conference COP 28, providing insightful impulses and practical solutions to support the global climate and energy summit.
“Climate and energy policy are two sides of the same coin – this forum helps to tackle both issues together. There is no time to lose. The multiple and interlocking crises have shown that we need to step up our ambition to accelerate the expansion of renewable energies and innovative solutions in the energy sector – not only for the sake of the climate and secure energy supplies for all, but also to secure peace. Therefore, this event fits perfectly with the new claim ‘International Vienna – Center for Dialogue, Sustainability, and Security,” noted Austria's Federal Minister for European and International Affairs, Alexander Schallenberg.
The two-day forum in Vienna will showcase innovative technologies and transformative solutions to accelerate low-emission, climate-resilient development that allows synergies with other priority areas such as energy generation, green industrialization, sustainable agriculture, the built environment, and nature-based solutions. It will not only feature powerful content and prominent speakers, but will also present a new, hands-on experience. Planned activities include curated networking sessions designed to build the most valuable connections, a “solutions lab” to innovate and fast-track from idea to solution and an exclusive side-program to experience the City of Vienna as a pioneer of green innovation.
“The new International Vienna Energy and Climate Forum will act as a springboard to the upcoming UN Climate Conference of the Parties (COP 28) in Dubai. A focus must and should be on climate action and making progress on the urgent matter of climate finance. The importance of right-scaling the financial commitments for real impact is imperative. Together with the urgent need to rapidly scale back on fossil fuels, these are key hurdles holding us back from immediate climate progress. The forum will serve to catalyze the key ingredient of political commitment to this common cause for humanity,” concluded IIASA Director General Albert van Jaarsveld.
Be part of this new solution-oriented approach. We look forward to your registration on https://www.ivecf.org/forum-2023/. You can also follow the International Vienna Energy and Climate Forum on Twitter, LinkedIn and Facebook.
Further information:
For information, including on partnership opportunities, please contact: Barbora Poyner B.Poyner(at)unido.org and ivecf(at)unido.org.
News
20 May 2026
New Elsevier report on Austria’s science system highlights IIASA’s global impact
IIASA has emerged as one of Austria’s standout research institutions in a new Elsevier report titled, Austria as a Science and Technology Nation, which benchmarks the country’s scientific performance in an international context.
05 May 2026
Amazon understory forests show short-term boost in CO₂ uptake – but this comes at a cost
Tropical forests are one of the planet's most important carbon sinks – often also called "the lungs of the Earth". But their future in a high-CO₂ world remains uncertain. IIASA researchers contributed to a new study, which suggests even small understory trees in the Amazon may initially buffer climate change more strongly. Their long-term capacity to store carbon could, however, be restricted by nutrient availability, highlighting the vulnerability of these ecosystems under future climate conditions.
25 March 2026
Exchange and dialogue at IIASA: A visit from Austria’s Federal President
On Tuesday, 17 March 2026, IIASA had the privilege of hosting Austrian Federal President Alexander Van der Bellen at Schloss Laxenburg for a program focused on exchange, conversation, and engagement with the Institute’s research community. Austria is IIASA’s host country and one of its founding members, with its membership dating back to 1973.