Overview

• On June 3, Schwarzenegger broadcast a looping audio message across Vienna’s public transit system, greeting commuters in German and English as “climate heroes.”
• His announcement ran from 6 a.m. through the day on metro cars and buses, thanking riders for contributing to pollution reduction.
• At the summit’s opening in the Hofburg palace, the 77-year-old former California governor focused on local and individual climate initiatives rather than political critique.
• He acknowledged Viennese transport usage as a model for grassroots action while setting aside past criticisms of U.S. federal leadership.
• Vienna’s network carries 2.4 million passengers daily within a city of two million, illustrating the scale of sustainable mobility efforts.