In a world of rapidly growing cities, climate action is no longer optional. By 2050, two out of three people are expected to live in urban areas. Cities like Vienna must therefore take a leading role in sustainable urban development and resource conservation. Vienna has long been committed to a holistic approach that integrates ecological, economic and social dimensions of sustainability - with remarkable success. This is reflected in top positions in international rankings: Vienna ranked second in the Economist Intelligence Unit's Global Liveability Index 2025. In the same year, the international news and lifestyle magazine Monocle recognized Vienna as a category winner for housing and urban living. 

Vienna's innovative urban strategy plays a big role in these achievements, with the capital's Smart City Strategy driving progress. In 2020, the goal of achieving climate neutrality by 2040 was anchored in the Vienna government program, underlining the city's strong commitment to global and European climate targets. As part of this, the strategic priorities were further refined: they range from climate-sensitive urban planning and the energy sector to circular economy and environmentally friendly mobility, as well as participation and social inclusion. These areas are structured around three central dimensions: quality of life, resource conservation and innovation. 

Vienna has also developed a model to balance sustainability with dynamic development: Optimum Tourism ensures that the satisfaction of both visitors and residents remains in harmony, while quality growth secures a competitive future.  Organizers and meeting participants also benefit from the resulting breakthroughs, increasingly innovative projects and trend-setting concepts. 

An innovative meeting destination

Vienna is widely regarded as a safe, clean and highly efficient international metropolis with reliable infrastructure. We have summarized why Vienna is also the ideal destination for sustainable meetings:

• A city of short distances
  Vienna enables the concept of a "walkable meeting". Most hotels, venues and social starting points for socials are within walking distance or easily reachable via a short journey on public transport.
• Excellent public transportation
  Vienna is famous for its outstanding transport infrastructure. The Wiener Linien public transportation network currently covers 1,150 kilometers of subway, tram and bus routes. The next few years will see the addition of a brand new subway line, among other expansion projects. Short intervals bring your participants quickly and easily from A to B. Citybikes, car sharing, e-mopeds and e-scooters complete the picture. And air travelers can reach the city center in just 16 minutes aboard the City Airport Train (CAT). There are even customized services and tickets from Wiener Linien and CAT for meeting participants.
• Social responsibility and inclusion
  Vienna actively promotes diversity and social equity. Affordable housing, support for LGBTQ+ families and integration policies are integral parts of the city’s agenda, making Vienna an inclusive and welcoming destination for international meetings.
• A clean city
  Vienna ranks among the cleanest cities in Europe. This is largely due to MA48, the municipal department responsible for waste management, street cleaning and fleet services. Their work ensures a high level of cleanliness, safety and overall quality of the urban environment.
• Sustainable venues
  Vienna offers a diverse and compact meeting infrastructure. In addition to major congress centres such as Austria Center Vienna, HOFBURG Vienna and VIECON - Vienna Congress & Convention Center, there are around 250 unique event locations. Most are centrally located and easily accessible by public transport or on foot. Many venues place a strong emphasis on sustainability, with nearly 100 already holding a recognized sustainability certification.
• Regional catering
  Vienna places strong emphasis on regional and seasonal food. Around one third of the city's vegetable demand is sourced locally. When it comes to catering, organizers can collaborate with partners who prioritize seasonal and locally produced ingredients. In addition, Vienna's high-quality spring water from alpine sources provides an environmentally friendly alternative to bottled water.

Sustainability during meetings…

Events in Vienna can be certified for sustainability. In particular, the Austrian Ecolabel for Green Meetings and the City of Vienna’s EcoEvent initiative provide recognized frameworks.

The Austrian Ecolabel is the country's state-certified environmental quality seal and recognizes events that meet comprehensive sustainability criteria. These include environmentally responsible venues, resource-efficient planning, waste prevention, regional and organic catering, climate-friendly mobility and social responsibility. The certification process is carried out in cooperation with licensed partners who support organizers in implementing and complying with the criteria.

In addition, meetings can also be organized as EcoEvents. As an umbrella brand of the City of Vienna, the program supports organizers in implementing concrete sustainability measures in areas such as mobility, catering, energy and waste management. Depending on the criteria met, events can receive the EcoEvent or EcoEvent PLUS quality title, making sustainable commitment visible.

The Vienna Convention Bureau has been an official license holder of the Austrian Ecolabel since 2011 and is happy to support you in certifying your meeting.

…and beyond meetings

Vienna also offers countless opportunities to maintain the focus on sustainability beyond the event location itself. Special social programs with a focus on sustainability and CSR are specifically designed to promote environmental and social awareness through various sessions including climate workshops, social city tours and community cooking courses.

Together with strong partners, Vienna creates ideal conditions to deliver meetings that are not only successful, but also sustainable and responsible. Take advantage of the wide range of opportunities offered by Meeting Destination Vienna for your next event.