City Trialogue in Vienna: Working Together for a Sustainable and Livable Future
The mayors of Zurich, Hamburg, and Vienna met in the Austrian capital for the fifth “City Trialogue.” This year's exchange focused on pressing issues such as climate protection, renewable energies, circular economy, technology development, health infrastructure, care, and culture.
The fifth city trialogue in Vienna once again underscored the importance of joint action and learning between leading European cities to meet the challenges of the present and shape a sustainable and livable future for their citizens. / Picture: © City of Vienna/Christian Jobst
Vienna's Mayor Michael Ludwig welcomed Zurich's Mayor Corine Mauch and Hamburg's First Mayor Peter Tschentscher for intensive working discussions and a themed program that highlighted Vienna's pioneering role in these areas. The two-day visit offered guests from Zurich and Hamburg exciting insights into Vienna's forward-looking projects.
The first stop was the large heat pump in Simmering, a Europe-wide flagship project for climate-neutral district heating. This plant uses heat from treated wastewater to supply up to 56,000 households with environmentally friendly energy – an innovative solution that is expected to save up to 300,000 tons of CO₂ annually.
Another highlight was the “waste2value” waste disposal project, also in Simmering. Here, CO₂-neutral diesel and kerosene are produced from biogenic waste such as wood residues and sewage sludge. The pilot plant is an important step towards producing up to 10 million liters of green fuel per year, which could meet the diesel requirements of the entire Vienna bus fleet.
A focus on health and culture followed this. The modern Floridsdorf Clinic, one of the most advanced healthcare facilities in Europe, presented its comprehensive modernization program. The clinic is not only characterized by cutting-edge medicine but also by the highest ecological standards, including the use of excess server heat to cover up to 70 percent of its heating requirements. Afterward, guests were given fascinating insights into the city's history at the newly opened Wien Museum, where the freely accessible permanent exhibition exemplifies the “democratization of urban cultural heritage.”
Strong partnership for global challenges
In his welcoming speech, Mayor Michael Ludwig emphasized the crucial role of international cooperation between cities in addressing global challenges, including climate change, energy supply, and affordable housing. He stressed that cities need a strong, united voice in Europe, as mayors are close to the people and know what it takes to live well in a city. Ludwig also referred to his initiative to create an EU Commissioner for Housing, an idea that has been implemented by the new EU Commission.
Corine Mauch, Mayor of Zurich, expressed her gratitude for the warm invitation and underlined the importance of the trialogue as an expression of an “active and living partnership based on trust, mutual learning, and shared values.” This year's meeting was dedicated to the “resilience of cities in challenging times,” a highly topical issue.
Hamburg's First Mayor Peter Tschentscher congratulated Michael Ludwig on his recent inauguration and highlighted the similarities between the three cities. “Hamburg, Vienna, and Zurich are attractive cities and international centers for business, science, and culture,” said Tschentscher. He emphasized that the social democratic city governments pursue similar strategies and priorities, including an active housing policy, the expansion of public transportation, and climate protection through innovative technologies.
The trialogue: a format for exchange and cooperation
The “City Trialogue,” launched in 2019, is a format at the level of the mayors of Hamburg and Vienna and the city president of Zurich. It enables direct exchange on major urban projects, challenges, and future development strategies. The aim is to network the cities more closely within the framework of city diplomacy, as the metropolises face similar issues and can learn from each other. Previous trialogues have addressed topics such as local public transport, citizen participation, urban development, housing construction, energy supply, circular economy, climate protection, attractive city centers, and social measures at main railway stations.