Diskurs Media Talk
On 29 September 2026, Diskurs - das Wissenschaftsnetzwerk hosted a virtual media talk for journalists on the topic "Secure Provisioning Systems in the Polycrisis: Navigating the tension between availability, affordability and sustainability".
Researchers from the REMASS project provided insights into their ongoing work and shared initial findings with the media:
Helmut Haberl opened the event by introducing the central idea behind REMASS and its research approach. He highlighted early findings suggesting that resilience is not always desirable for everyone. For example, the resilience of Austria’s fossil-fuel-based energy system can also mean continued vulnerability to global conflicts and geopolitical crises, such as the wars in Ukraine or Iran. His key message was that, rather than trying to secure the provision of individual products or resources, we need to transform the systems behind them in order to create a good and desirable future for everyone. As a concrete example, he referred to the concept of the 15-minute city.
Caroline Zimm then took a closer look at Austria’s energy provisioning system. In response to energy crises, policymakers often focus on securing existing systems and supplies. However, this approach is not sustainable in the long term. But attention to the demand side can also help: if building renovation rates rise, publictransport is improved, and land take is reduced, dependency on costly imports of fossil fuels can be mitigated - in addition to benefits of diversifying suppliers (the dominant current policy response).
Crucially, energy- and resource saving policies can achieve benefits in terms of raising resilience and reducing dependencies while at the same time also reducing GHG emissions.
Finally, Anke Schaffartzik and Sarah Ware raised the question: “Who or what is resilient?”, focusing on housing and ownership in Vienna, they noted that many initiatives already exist and that we have long known what sustainable and resilient housing could look like. Their research therefore examines decision-making processes, barriers, and patterns of use, asking who benefits from housing systems and whose needs they serve.
Key challenges include vacant properties, the tension between private property rights and social responsibility, and measures such as Vienna’s climate-fit initiatives, which support adaptation but often fail to address structural issues such as dependence on fossil fuels.
All three presentations also addressed the issue of "sacrifice" (Verzicht), often translated as “doing without",which they described as an unhelpful narrative. Effective, sustainable and solidarity-based alternatives can create synergies that may even lead to a higher quality of life and living standards.