ÖBB Annual Report 2023

121 Group Management Report Österreichische Bundesbahnen-Holding Aktiengesellschaft Consolidated Financial Statements | Group Management Report 76 Climate change mitigation and training combined | ÖBB apprentices build photovoltaic system on their own home. ÖBB Bildungscampus St. Pölten awarded Austrian Ecolabel | Awarded with the Austrian Ecolabel after a two-year certification process. Green freight tariff at the Rail Cargo Group | Since 2023, the Rail Cargo Group has been offering an externally audited emissions certificate as a service for its customers. Multimodal logistics | A pool of 300 interchangeable superstructures is intended to make the modal shift to rail even more attractive. G.2. Climate change adaptation GRI 201-2 Management approach Climate change is one of the world’s greatest challenges. ÖBB is pursuing a variety of initiatives to contribute to decarbonisation. Even so, we need to acknowledge that climate change is already happening. Climate-related changes affect a range of sectors, systems, and institutions. In the case of ÖBB, this relates in particular to the company’s infrastructure and assets, and subsequently to the scope and quality of its mobility services. In addition, ÖBB must consider possible impairments as a result of climate change for both its customers and its employees. Safe railway operations, optimum route availability and minimisation of system and vehicle disruptions are a basic prerequisite for ÖBB to be able to offer its mobility services. Protecting ÖBB rail infrastructure and assets is therefore a top priority. At the same time, impairments for customers and employees should be kept to a minimum. The establishment of monitoring and early warning systems is of great importance in addition to the implementation of preventive measures in order to create an effective climate change adaptation in the best possible way. The establishment of a monitoring and early warning system serves to identify emerging hazards and negative impacts at an early stage. ÖBB’s preventive measures counteract the negative impact on the infrastructure and its assets. The focus here is, for example, on protection against natural hazards and adapted protective forest management. Preventive measures should also be taken to minimise restrictions on energy generation and disruption for customers and employees. ÖBB’s catastrophe management and climate change-adapted products in passenger and freight transport are further measures that support climate change adaptation. Objectives – Targeted development and expansion of suitable preventive measures regarding the effects of climate change. – Introduce monitoring and early warning systems to identify hazards early and quickly and provide information efficiently – Implementation of the already defined uniform procedure for repair and maintenance work in the track at high temperatures. – Preservation and climate change-adapted maintenance of the area of managed protection forest – Needs-based facility management for rockfall, torrent and avalanche defences Key figures at a glance (focus AT) 2023 2022 Total rockfall and avalanche barriers in kilometres 212 204 Total torrent control barriers in kilometres 2.1 1.8 Area of managed protective forest in hectares 3,370 3,370 Trees registered in the cadastre 10,559 10,246 Different tree species 213 203 ÖBB attaches great importance to implementing only the most necessary adaptation measures so as not to have a negative impact on nature and its existing protective function, as this always means interfering with nature. Such measures include rockfall, torrent and avalanche barriers. In comparison to 2022, the total length of rockfall and avalanche barriers increased to 213 km in 2023 (py: 204 km). The total length of technical installations for torrent protection will be approx. 2.1 km in 2023. MR76 |