Two days of soil protection and civil society cooperation

The second Austrian Transformation Forum took place from 25-26 February 2025 with the participation of the Land Policy and Land Management Research Unit.

Arthur Kanonier at the podium

© Walter Skokanitsch

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The Audience

© Walter Skokanitsch

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Arthur Kanonier

© Walter Skokanitsch

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Barbara Steinbrunner and Christina Hummel

© Walter Skokanitsch

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The Platform for Sustainable Development (SDGs) at the University for Continuing Education Krems organised the second Austrian Transformation Forum. The aim of the ‘Austrian Transformation Forum’ is to give a strong impetus to the urgently needed socio-ecological transformation on the part of civil society - through networking, cooperation, dialogue and the exchange of initiatives and ideas. This year's focus was on soil protection and the activation of civil society for socio-ecological transformation at a local level. The Soil Policy and Soil Management research area from the Institute of Spatial Planning, including Barbara Steinbrunner and Prof Arthur Kanonier, played a leading role in this. The conference was attended by 160 delegates from civil society organisations and social movements from various areas of society as well as experts.

Some Highlights

After the welcome and opening by Federal President Alexander Van der Bellen and Rector of the University for Continuing Education Krems, Friedrich Faulhammer, the first day of the conference focussed on soil protection. Together with Christina Hummel, Barbara Steinbrunner presented the results of the preparatory seminar ‘Soil protection from below’. Prof Arthur Kanonier gave the keynote speech on the topic of ‘Challenges of soil conservation in Austria’.

In the subsequent panel discussion on the topic of ‘Soil turnaround in Austria - how can new land use be stopped?’, Andreas Hofer (IBA 27), Tarek Leitner (ORF), Helmut Miernicki (Managing Director, ecoplus - Lower Austria's business agency), Caren Ohrhallinger (Spokesperson, Platform for Building Culture Policy/ nonconform), Margit Schratzenstaller (WIFO) and Gernot Stöglehner (Boku) discussed the topic. The subsequent dialogue process encouraged exchange and produced exciting results.

The second day of the conference was dedicated to the socio-ecological transformation and the potential of civil society and the regional level.

At a dialogue in June 2025 on the topic of soil governance, the results of the second Austrian Transformation Forum will be passed on to those responsible in the areas of politics, administration and business.

Further information on the second Austrian Transformation Forum: https://www.donau-uni.ac.at/de/universitaet/plattformen/plattform-fuer-nachhaltige-entwicklung-sdgs/lehre/seminarreihe-akademie-der-transformation/oesterreichisches-transformationsforum.html;jsessionid=CECBD399DE42D905ACE0C2F97E972228, opens an external URL in a new window