Climate and Air Quality Commission

The Climate and Air Quality Commission (KKL) of the Austrian Academy of Sciences (ÖAW) dealt with the anthropogenic influences on the atmosphere and their effects on humans and ecosystems as well as the possibilities of reacting to these effects. This included in particular the topics climate and climate change as well as atmospheric trace substances and their effects on air quality. The Commission was established for the period 2019–2023. Concepts and tasks of the commission are summarized in a concept paper "Mission Statement & Vision 2030".

The following basic structure was set up to efficiently address key tasks, i.e. research, knowledge transfer, public relations and strategic topics. It served for implementation of the KKL mission (see "Mission Statement & Vision 2030"). Two overarching work areas were set up, WA Climate (“Work Area Climate”) and WA Air Quality (“Work Area Air Quality”). These were each managed by a KKL co-chair and supported by further KKL members with strong expertise in the respective area (WA Climate: Andrea Steiner, Leopold Haimberger; WA Air Quality: Wilfried Winiwarter, Anne Kasper-Giebl). For the period from 2019 to 2023, the two work areas under the overall leadership of the chairing team were responsible for the cross-organizational management of the committee tasks.

Within the framework of the commission's activities on all topics and fields of action of the "Mission Statement & Vision 2030", content-related work was promoted, especially on clearly defined common focus topics (Joint Foci – JFs), for which coordinators were appointed (JF Coordinators). Scientific JFs and strategic JFs were defined for 2019–2023 as follows:

Scientific JFs

• Climate and Land Use (JF Coordinator: Robert Jandl)
• Climate and Law (JF Coordinator: Eva Schulev-Steindl)
• Air Quality and Climate (JF Coordinators: Anne Kasper-Giebl, Peter-Johann Sturm) -  Focus on Indoor Air Quality (JF Coordinators: Hanns Moshammer, Manfred Neuberger)

Strategic JFs 

• IPCC and International Bodies (JF Coordinator: Georg Kaser)
• Institutional Relations CCCA & ÖAW-KKL (JF Coordinators: Robert Jandl, Gottfried Kirchengast)
• Internal Profile of KKL within ÖAW (JF Coordinators: Georg Kaser, Gottfried Kirchengast)

The KKL was involved in Austrian research priorities at various institutions. "Structural embedding of the KKL".