Switzerland Joins In The Climate Fight
After much consideration, the Swiss Government announced plans last week to join its European Union (EU) neighbours in the flight against climate change, proposing new regulations and targets for Co2 reductions.
Switzerland plans to lower carbon emissions by at least 20% by 2020, a yearly reduction of 1.5%.
Longer term, a more ambitious goal of a 50% reduction by 2050 is under consideration, bringing Switzerland in to line with EU objectives to limit future warming to only 2 degrees centigrade. Switzerland is not currently a member of the EU, although the Swiss frequently harmonise legislation with the EU on important international issues.
Whilst these objectives have been approved by the Swiss Government cabinet, they must still go before the Swiss parliament before becoming law. Further proposals, such as a fully carbon neutral Switzerland are also due for debate.
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The new plans call for a reduction in the use of fossil fuels by 20%, and an increase in renewable energy usage of 50%. Details of how these measures will actually be achieved are still to be finalised, although the Swiss government currently favour the use of an incentive tax, aimed at changing people’s behaviour rather than the introduction of punitive charges for Co2 emitters.
Commenting on the plans, Martin Beniston, professor of climate research at Geneva University told reporters:
“I think it’s a step in the right direction. But as a scientist knowing the urgency of addressing climatic change, one could have seen things going a bit quicker.
Many of the steps that are being proposed are quite efficient in the way they want to address the issues of climate change: reducing fossil fuels, improving energy efficiency in buildings, and increasing the contribution of renewable energy sources to electricity generation”
Political reactions
There have been mixed reactions to the plans from Switzerland’s political parties. Centre-left parties have dismissed the plans as insufficiently ambitions, whilst their centre-right colleagues together with the business community have welcomed the proposal to maintain a mostly voluntary approach to carbon reductions. The right-wing Swiss People’s Party have attacked the plans, stating that there are no real measures contained within the proposals for addressing future electricity shortages predicted within the next decade.
Sources:
Cabinet steps up greenhouse gas fight, Greenhouse gas plans cause political fallout
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