Thomas Thaler

Thomas Thaler is a Senior Scientist at the Institute of Landscape Planning at the University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Vienna (BOKU). He completed his Habilitation in Spatial Research and Spatial Governance in 2024 and has been actively involved in research on flood risk management, climate change adaptation, and urban heat islands. His work bridges environmental science, spatial planning, and social justice considerations.

Thaler earned his Doctorate from Middlesex University, London (2011-2015), with additional academic background from the University of Vienna and Vienna University of Economics and Business. His educational journey includes a Postgraduate Certification in Social Science Research Methods from Middlesex University (2011) and an Erasmus stay at the University of Groningen (2008).

His research focuses on the intersection of environmental risk management and social equity, with particular emphasis on flood risk governance, urban heat vulnerability, and nature-based solutions. Thaler examines how spatial planning can address climate challenges while ensuring social justice, investigating topics like green gentrification, implementation gaps in adaptation policies, and the role of vulnerable populations in risk management systems. His work often employs mixed-methods approaches combining spatial analysis with social science perspectives to understand how communities experience and respond to environmental risks.

His recent publications reveal a strong trend toward examining justice dimensions in climate adaptation, with increasing focus on implementation challenges of nature-based solutions, particularly regarding social equity outcomes in urban settings. The research spans both theoretical frameworks (like the Strategy Shock Implementation Reaction framework) and practical applications in Austrian and European contexts.

• Journal of Flood Risk Management: Outstanding Paper Award 2020
• AGIT-2017 Symposium: Best Poster Award
• BOKU Best Paper Award 2016
• JX Kasperson Award 2015

Thaler has supervised numerous university theses and leads multiple research projects, including EU-funded initiatives like LAND4CLIMATE and Pathways for co-creation between local authorities and collective actions for a sustainable transition. His grant portfolio demonstrates strong connections between academic research and practical policy applications, particularly in flood risk management and climate adaptation. He collaborates extensively with Austrian governmental bodies, international research institutions, and interdisciplinary teams spanning environmental science, social science, and urban planning disciplines.

Thaler is actively involved in knowledge transfer through numerous lectures, media contributions, and stakeholder workshops. His work connects academic research with practical policy development, particularly through projects addressing urban heat islands, flood risk management, and nature-based solutions implementation. He maintains strong connections with both academic and practitioner communities, regularly presenting at international conferences and contributing to policy discussions on climate adaptation and risk management.