More green

Call for a stop to soil sealing in cities

The VCÖ is calling for a stop to further soil sealing - climate change would make this unavoidable.

One third of the sealed surfaces in Vorarlberg's cities with more than 10,000 inhabitants are due to roads and parking lots. This is shown by a recent analysis by the Austrian Transport Club (VCÖ) based on data from ÖROK and the Federal Environment Agency. Sidewalks can heat up extremelySealed surfaces such as roads and parking lots heat up particularly strongly on hot days and exacerbate the unhealthy heat load for the population. Sidewalks in the blazing sun become unusable for many people, such as the elderly or the chronically ill, and their mobility is restricted. The VCÖ is therefore calling for public roads to be adapted to climate change quickly and to a greater extent.

The demand is not without reason: the warmest winter in Austria's recorded history is just behind us. "Climate change is a reality and is not only evident in the form of higher temperatures, but also in the increase in extreme weather events. These will continue to increase in the future. Cities are particularly affected by climate change. It is therefore important that there is no further sealing," emphasizes VCÖ expert Katharina Jaschinsky. 

In Bregenz, 31 percent of sealed surfaces are due to traffic.(Bild: Stadt Bregenz)

There is potential 
There is also potential for adjustments in the Ländle: in Vorarlberg's towns with more than 10,000 inhabitants, the proportion of sealed surfaces accounted for by traffic is between 25 percent in Hard and 33 percent in both Bludenz and Hohenems. In Bregenz, this figure is 31 percent. Other heat multipliers are the cars themselves, which are parked on streets or in parking lots, as these also heat up and further fuel the warming of the environment.

Sponge principle under the ground
What could help? The VCÖ experts recommend more cooling greenery and shady trees on roads, sidewalks and parking lots. In addition, infiltration-capable surfaces should help to absorb rainwater into the ground - this is particularly important during heavy rainfall. Overall, the sponge city principle, which gives the roots of trees more space under the road and ensures more efficient water storage, should be implemented more by local authorities, recommends Jaschinsky.