Wiener Stadtwerke GmbH

The Wiener Stadtwerke Group actively links climate protection, the energy transition, and infrastructure projects with the preservation and promotion of urban biodiversity.

Key Biodiversity Initiatives of the Group

• Vienna Cemeteries (BaF – Biodiversity at the Cemetery): On the grounds of Friedhöfe Wien, around 137,000 square meters of meadows are intentionally left unmowed. These areas provide valuable habitats and food sources for roughly 500 insect species, 80 bird species, and 300 plant species. The Vienna cemetery where endangered species and biodiversity thrive

• Photovoltaics and Open Spaces (Wien Energie): Solar power plants—such as the community solar plant in Wien-Liesing and other open-space PV installations—serve as safe havens for animals and plants (e.g., wild hamsters) and ecologically enrich the surrounding land.

• Wildflower Meadows and Bees (Wiener Linien): Disused green spaces around subway stations and train depots have been converted into wildflower meadows to host bee colonies and boost local biodiversity.

• Climate Protection as Species Protection: Wiener Stadtwerke views the reduction of greenhouse gases (aiming for a climate-neutral Vienna by 2040) and the phase-out of fossil fuels as a core contribution to protecting biodiversity, as climate change and resource extraction are primary drivers of species loss.

• ESG Program and Strategy: As part of its Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) program, the corporate group is developing a group-wide biodiversity and environmental protection strategy to systematically expand positive impacts on ecosystems.