Greenpeace has released a new ranking of 15 European capital cities regarding their progress in phasing out gas for heating. Vienna secured third place overall with a score of 81.4 out of 100, trailing Stockholm at 91.8 points and Paris at 83.5 points.
The study, prepared by consultant Mehmet Börühan Bulut using OECD guidelines and EU emission data, evaluated Vienna's 'Wärmeplan 2040' and 'Raus aus Gas' programs. The city earned 100 points in Policy and Governance but only 60 points in Emissions and Results.
Vienna's score was impacted by a 60 percent reliance on fossil natural gas for district heating. Additionally, the methodology caps grades for waste incineration exceeding 20 percent, while one third of Vienna's heat currently comes from thermal recycling.