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mate change adaptation and mitigation activities of Austrian and
Slovenian enterprises in the wood-value chain
Ana Slavec1*, Annechien D. Hoeben2, Miguel M. Torres2, Lea Primožič1, Tobias Stern2
1 InnoRenew CoE, Livade 6a, 6310 Izola, Slovenia, ana.slavec@innorenew.eu, lea.primozic@innorenew.eu
2 Institute for Systems Sciences, Innovation and Sustainability Research, University of Graz, Merangasse 18/I, 8010 Graz, Austria, annechien.
hoeben@uni-graz.at, miguel.moreno-torres@uni-graz.at, tobias.stern@uni-graz.at
* Corresponding author
Climate change is one of the key challenges addressed by the forest-based bioeconomy. On one hand, climate
change poses a growing threat to European forests as evidenced by the increasing frequency and severity of heat
waves, extended periods of drought, storms, and other natural disturbances over an increasingly larger scale
(Seidl et al., 2017). On the other hand, forests mitigate climate change by storing carbon, regulating extreme
weather events, and halting land degradation. In addition, forest-related economic activities play an important
role in climate change mitigation and adaptation strategies, as innovation and promotion of new forest-based
materials and products to replace fossil-based counterparts can have potentially significant environmental
benefits (Hurmekoski et al., 2021). Along these lines, we conducted a study to understand the impact climate
change has on enterprises in the forest-based and related sectors, their attitudes and motivations that lead
them to act regarding climate change and how that is related to innovation strategies and activities. In this study,
we present the results of a survey of 293 Slovenian and Austrian companies in the forest-timber sector, which
took place in mid-2021. We found that most companies are at least somewhat concerned about climate change,
and few have developed related innovations. Their level of concern and analogous activities can to some extent
be explained based on the theory of planned behavior (Ajzen, 2011). Based on the results and keeping in mind
the theory of planned behavior, we make recommendations on what measures and communication strategies
can be used to encourage companies to innovate and consequently contribute to climate change mitigation.
Keywords: innovation, survey, wood-value chain
Acknowledgement: The authors acknowledge receiving funding from the Slovenian Research Agency for the
project Innovation of Austrian and Slovenian companies in the wood-value chain [BI-AT/20-21-006] and from
the European Cooperation in Science and Technology for the InnoRenew project [grant agreement #739574]
under the H2020 Spreading Excellence and Widening Participation Horizon2020 Widespread-Teaming
program.
REFERENCES
Ajzen, I., 2011. The theory of planned behaviour: Reactions and reflections. Psychol. Health 26, 1113–1127.
https://doi.org/10.1080/08870446.2011.613995
Hurmekoski, E., Smyth, C.E., Stern, T., Verkerk, P.J., Asada, R., 2021. Substitution impacts of wood use at
the market level: a systematic review. Environ. Res. Lett. 16, 123004. https://doi.org/10.1088/1748-9326/
AC386F
Seidl, R., Thom, D., Kautz, M., Martin-Benito, D., Peltoniemi, M., Vacchiano, G., Wild, J., Ascoli, D., Petr, M.,
Honkaniemi, J., Lexer, M.J., Trotsiuk, V., Mairota, P., Svoboda, M., Fabrika, M., Nagel, T.A., Reyer, C.P.O.,
2017. Forest disturbances under climate change. Nat. Clim. Chang. 7, 395–402. https://doi.org/10.1038/
nclimate3303
17–18 NOVEMBER 2022 I IZOLA, SLOVENIA 25
Slovenian enterprises in the wood-value chain
Ana Slavec1*, Annechien D. Hoeben2, Miguel M. Torres2, Lea Primožič1, Tobias Stern2
1 InnoRenew CoE, Livade 6a, 6310 Izola, Slovenia, ana.slavec@innorenew.eu, lea.primozic@innorenew.eu
2 Institute for Systems Sciences, Innovation and Sustainability Research, University of Graz, Merangasse 18/I, 8010 Graz, Austria, annechien.
hoeben@uni-graz.at, miguel.moreno-torres@uni-graz.at, tobias.stern@uni-graz.at
* Corresponding author
Climate change is one of the key challenges addressed by the forest-based bioeconomy. On one hand, climate
change poses a growing threat to European forests as evidenced by the increasing frequency and severity of heat
waves, extended periods of drought, storms, and other natural disturbances over an increasingly larger scale
(Seidl et al., 2017). On the other hand, forests mitigate climate change by storing carbon, regulating extreme
weather events, and halting land degradation. In addition, forest-related economic activities play an important
role in climate change mitigation and adaptation strategies, as innovation and promotion of new forest-based
materials and products to replace fossil-based counterparts can have potentially significant environmental
benefits (Hurmekoski et al., 2021). Along these lines, we conducted a study to understand the impact climate
change has on enterprises in the forest-based and related sectors, their attitudes and motivations that lead
them to act regarding climate change and how that is related to innovation strategies and activities. In this study,
we present the results of a survey of 293 Slovenian and Austrian companies in the forest-timber sector, which
took place in mid-2021. We found that most companies are at least somewhat concerned about climate change,
and few have developed related innovations. Their level of concern and analogous activities can to some extent
be explained based on the theory of planned behavior (Ajzen, 2011). Based on the results and keeping in mind
the theory of planned behavior, we make recommendations on what measures and communication strategies
can be used to encourage companies to innovate and consequently contribute to climate change mitigation.
Keywords: innovation, survey, wood-value chain
Acknowledgement: The authors acknowledge receiving funding from the Slovenian Research Agency for the
project Innovation of Austrian and Slovenian companies in the wood-value chain [BI-AT/20-21-006] and from
the European Cooperation in Science and Technology for the InnoRenew project [grant agreement #739574]
under the H2020 Spreading Excellence and Widening Participation Horizon2020 Widespread-Teaming
program.
REFERENCES
Ajzen, I., 2011. The theory of planned behaviour: Reactions and reflections. Psychol. Health 26, 1113–1127.
https://doi.org/10.1080/08870446.2011.613995
Hurmekoski, E., Smyth, C.E., Stern, T., Verkerk, P.J., Asada, R., 2021. Substitution impacts of wood use at
the market level: a systematic review. Environ. Res. Lett. 16, 123004. https://doi.org/10.1088/1748-9326/
AC386F
Seidl, R., Thom, D., Kautz, M., Martin-Benito, D., Peltoniemi, M., Vacchiano, G., Wild, J., Ascoli, D., Petr, M.,
Honkaniemi, J., Lexer, M.J., Trotsiuk, V., Mairota, P., Svoboda, M., Fabrika, M., Nagel, T.A., Reyer, C.P.O.,
2017. Forest disturbances under climate change. Nat. Clim. Chang. 7, 395–402. https://doi.org/10.1038/
nclimate3303
17–18 NOVEMBER 2022 I IZOLA, SLOVENIA 25
