Environmental Sustainability
#8Key Findings
Switzerland performs well in international comparison (rank 8) in the category of environmental sustainability.
The country’s climate-change has committed to reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 50% by 2030 compared to 1990, but missed its 2020 goal of a 20% reduction. The rejection of a CO2 emissions-reduction law in a public vote in 2021 pushed climate-change mitigation efforts backward.
The Health 2030 agenda addresses environmental health risks, including air and water pollution, biodiversity loss, and climate change. A strategy aimed at safeguarding ecosystem vitality and preventing biodiversity loss is partially binding. The public recently rejected initiatives related to reducing pesticide use and protecting water quality.
Global environmental policy is given moderate weight among Switzerland’s foreign policy priorities. However, the country’s impact in this area depends largely on efficient collaboration with the European Union.
The country’s climate-change has committed to reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 50% by 2030 compared to 1990, but missed its 2020 goal of a 20% reduction. The rejection of a CO2 emissions-reduction law in a public vote in 2021 pushed climate-change mitigation efforts backward.
The Health 2030 agenda addresses environmental health risks, including air and water pollution, biodiversity loss, and climate change. A strategy aimed at safeguarding ecosystem vitality and preventing biodiversity loss is partially binding. The public recently rejected initiatives related to reducing pesticide use and protecting water quality.
Global environmental policy is given moderate weight among Switzerland’s foreign policy priorities. However, the country’s impact in this area depends largely on efficient collaboration with the European Union.
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Graph View
How committed is the government to the goal of achieving net zero emissions by 2050?
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9
The government is clearly committed to achieving climate neutrality by 2050.
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7
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The government is largely committed to achieving climate neutrality by 2050.
5
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3
The government is only somewhat committed to achieving climate neutrality by 2050.
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1
The government is not at all committed to achieving climate neutrality by 2050.
In this area, the most remarkable developments in recent years have been made through the integration of environmental protection and sustainability issues into a wide range of areas that both directly and indirectly concern environmental policy per se. Following the OECD’s strategy of green growth, Switzerland has launched several studies aimed at reconciling the goals of sustainability and economic development. Furthermore, Switzerland has in recent years developed several cross-sectoral strategies focusing on issues including climate-change adaptation (Ingold/Balsiger 2015) and forest management (Wilkes-Allemann et al. 2020).
In 2011, the federal government decided to phase out the use of nuclear power over the course of the next several decades, following the Fukushima accident. In 2016, the “Energy Strategy 2050” was adopted by parliament and won a majority in a popular vote in May 2017. It aims to significantly improve national energy efficiency, and to exploit the potential of hydropower as well as other renewable energies (e.g., solar, wind, geothermal and biomass). There will be no permits granted for the construction of new nuclear power stations or for any fundamental changes to existing nuclear power stations. However, existing nuclear power stations may stay in operation for as long as they are deemed safe. A more radical initiative was rejected in a popular vote on 27 November 2016. It would have led to the shutdown of existing nuclear power plants in the near future. Three of the five nuclear power plants would have been closed down by 2017.
In certain regards, the ecological challenges facing Swiss policymakers have been much less demanding than in other countries. Switzerland never developed significant smokestack industries, and industrialization took place as a decentralized process. Thus, Switzerland has no regions with large concentrations of industries with significant emissions. Nonetheless, the country’s record is mixed in terms of environmental policy overall.
Air quality has improved over the past 25 years, but ozone and other threshold values are frequently exceeded, and legislation for more ambitious norms on CO2 reduction has suffered setbacks. Switzerland recently updated its national climate-change mitigation policy. A broad combination of voluntary, regulatory and market-based instruments was expected to produce a reduction in emissions by 20 percentage points by 2020 – a goal which was not reached (NZZ 13 April 2021).
The country has committed to reducing its greenhouse gas emissions by 50% by 2030 (measured against 1990 levels). This would include the purchase of international credits associated with the reduction of emissions elsewhere. The targeted domestic reduction amounts to 30%. In 2019, the Federal Council also announced a goal of reaching net-zero emissions by 2050 (including international credits) (BAFU 2022).
In the 2019 national election, the green parties recorded a major increase in votes received. The Green Party increased its share of votes by six percentage points, while the Green Liberal Party increased by three percentage points, while the two largest parties respectively suffered losses of four (Swiss People’s Party) and two percentage points (Social Democrats) respectively. By Swiss standards, this was considered a tectonic change, indicating much better prospects for the enactment of environmental policies. However, this enthusiasm had receded by the time of the 2023 federal elections, when the Green Party lost five seats (out of a total of 246 seats in parliament) perhaps driven by the fact that after four years, changes were not really visible. This may in part be due to the pandemic and war in Europe having crowded out policy activity in other fields. For an analysis of the changing climate discourse and its actors, see Kammerer and Ingold (2021). A major challenge for environmental policies in Switzerland remains the adequate and bona fide implementation of federal rules by cantonal and municipal institutions.
A major setback for environmental policies occurred in 2021, when the CO2 law was rejected in a popular vote. This ambitious law combined various comprehensive measures that paired levies with subsidies. It targeted and mobilized various groups, including homeowners, airplane passengers and car drivers, who opposed the new law. In December 2021, the Federal Council opted for a new draft law, which was much less ambitious and avoided any new levies. The rejection of the CO2 law by the majority of citizens emphasizes an important aspect of direct democracy, namely that it is very hard to realize innovative and encompassing policies – even when there is a pressing need for such a policy – given the reform-averse institutional effects. These effects had already been visible in the case of the expansion of the welfare state or women’s suffrage, to name a few important examples of delayed responses to societal or external developments (Kriesi 2005; Linder 1999; Vatter 2018: Chapter 8). Further initiatives aimed at fostering Switzerland’s participation in the global effort against climate change have failed in popular votes, like the initiative on multinationals bearing responsibility for emissions that would have strengthened the ecological and social responsibility of Swiss companies abroad. It was narrowly rejected by the population in 2020. Altogether, the gap between the country’s intentions on paper and concrete actions has been considerable, and the mobilization of Switzerland to fight climate change remains limited.
Citations:
Ingold, K., and J. Balsiger. 2015. “Sustainability Principles Put into Practice: Case Studies of Network Analysis in Swiss Climate-Change Adaptation.” Reg Environ Change 15: 529–538.
Ingold, Karin, Lieberherr, E., Schläpfer, I., Steinmann, K., and Zimmermann, W. 2016. Umweltpolitik der Schweiz: ein Lehrbuch. Zürich/St.Gallen: Dike Verlag.
Kammerer, Marlene and Karin Ingold. 2021. “Actors and Issues in Climate-Change Policy: The Maturation of a Policy Discourse in the National and International Context.” Social Networks. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0378873321000678
Kriesi, Hanspeter. 2005. Direct Democratic Choice. The Swiss Experience. Lanham: Lexington Books.
Linder, Wolf. 1999. Schweizerische Demokratie – Institutionen, Prozesse, Perspektiven. Bern: Haupt.
OECD. 2017. OECD Environmental Performance Reviews: Switzerland 2017. Paris: OECD.
OECD. 2019. Economic Surveys. Switzerland, November 2019. Paris: OECD.
Vatter, Adrian. 2018. Das politische System der Schweiz. 3rd ed. Baden-Baden: Nomos (UTB).
Jerylee Wilkes-Allemann, Amadea Tschannen, and Eva Lieberherr. 2020. “Policy change and National Forest Programs: a Swiss experience of coalitions, external and internal events.” Scandinavian Journal of Forest Research 35 (7): 417-431. DOI: 10.1080/02827581.2020.1817540
In 2011, the federal government decided to phase out the use of nuclear power over the course of the next several decades, following the Fukushima accident. In 2016, the “Energy Strategy 2050” was adopted by parliament and won a majority in a popular vote in May 2017. It aims to significantly improve national energy efficiency, and to exploit the potential of hydropower as well as other renewable energies (e.g., solar, wind, geothermal and biomass). There will be no permits granted for the construction of new nuclear power stations or for any fundamental changes to existing nuclear power stations. However, existing nuclear power stations may stay in operation for as long as they are deemed safe. A more radical initiative was rejected in a popular vote on 27 November 2016. It would have led to the shutdown of existing nuclear power plants in the near future. Three of the five nuclear power plants would have been closed down by 2017.
In certain regards, the ecological challenges facing Swiss policymakers have been much less demanding than in other countries. Switzerland never developed significant smokestack industries, and industrialization took place as a decentralized process. Thus, Switzerland has no regions with large concentrations of industries with significant emissions. Nonetheless, the country’s record is mixed in terms of environmental policy overall.
Air quality has improved over the past 25 years, but ozone and other threshold values are frequently exceeded, and legislation for more ambitious norms on CO2 reduction has suffered setbacks. Switzerland recently updated its national climate-change mitigation policy. A broad combination of voluntary, regulatory and market-based instruments was expected to produce a reduction in emissions by 20 percentage points by 2020 – a goal which was not reached (NZZ 13 April 2021).
The country has committed to reducing its greenhouse gas emissions by 50% by 2030 (measured against 1990 levels). This would include the purchase of international credits associated with the reduction of emissions elsewhere. The targeted domestic reduction amounts to 30%. In 2019, the Federal Council also announced a goal of reaching net-zero emissions by 2050 (including international credits) (BAFU 2022).
In the 2019 national election, the green parties recorded a major increase in votes received. The Green Party increased its share of votes by six percentage points, while the Green Liberal Party increased by three percentage points, while the two largest parties respectively suffered losses of four (Swiss People’s Party) and two percentage points (Social Democrats) respectively. By Swiss standards, this was considered a tectonic change, indicating much better prospects for the enactment of environmental policies. However, this enthusiasm had receded by the time of the 2023 federal elections, when the Green Party lost five seats (out of a total of 246 seats in parliament) perhaps driven by the fact that after four years, changes were not really visible. This may in part be due to the pandemic and war in Europe having crowded out policy activity in other fields. For an analysis of the changing climate discourse and its actors, see Kammerer and Ingold (2021). A major challenge for environmental policies in Switzerland remains the adequate and bona fide implementation of federal rules by cantonal and municipal institutions.
A major setback for environmental policies occurred in 2021, when the CO2 law was rejected in a popular vote. This ambitious law combined various comprehensive measures that paired levies with subsidies. It targeted and mobilized various groups, including homeowners, airplane passengers and car drivers, who opposed the new law. In December 2021, the Federal Council opted for a new draft law, which was much less ambitious and avoided any new levies. The rejection of the CO2 law by the majority of citizens emphasizes an important aspect of direct democracy, namely that it is very hard to realize innovative and encompassing policies – even when there is a pressing need for such a policy – given the reform-averse institutional effects. These effects had already been visible in the case of the expansion of the welfare state or women’s suffrage, to name a few important examples of delayed responses to societal or external developments (Kriesi 2005; Linder 1999; Vatter 2018: Chapter 8). Further initiatives aimed at fostering Switzerland’s participation in the global effort against climate change have failed in popular votes, like the initiative on multinationals bearing responsibility for emissions that would have strengthened the ecological and social responsibility of Swiss companies abroad. It was narrowly rejected by the population in 2020. Altogether, the gap between the country’s intentions on paper and concrete actions has been considerable, and the mobilization of Switzerland to fight climate change remains limited.
Citations:
Ingold, K., and J. Balsiger. 2015. “Sustainability Principles Put into Practice: Case Studies of Network Analysis in Swiss Climate-Change Adaptation.” Reg Environ Change 15: 529–538.
Ingold, Karin, Lieberherr, E., Schläpfer, I., Steinmann, K., and Zimmermann, W. 2016. Umweltpolitik der Schweiz: ein Lehrbuch. Zürich/St.Gallen: Dike Verlag.
Kammerer, Marlene and Karin Ingold. 2021. “Actors and Issues in Climate-Change Policy: The Maturation of a Policy Discourse in the National and International Context.” Social Networks. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0378873321000678
Kriesi, Hanspeter. 2005. Direct Democratic Choice. The Swiss Experience. Lanham: Lexington Books.
Linder, Wolf. 1999. Schweizerische Demokratie – Institutionen, Prozesse, Perspektiven. Bern: Haupt.
OECD. 2017. OECD Environmental Performance Reviews: Switzerland 2017. Paris: OECD.
OECD. 2019. Economic Surveys. Switzerland, November 2019. Paris: OECD.
Vatter, Adrian. 2018. Das politische System der Schweiz. 3rd ed. Baden-Baden: Nomos (UTB).
Jerylee Wilkes-Allemann, Amadea Tschannen, and Eva Lieberherr. 2020. “Policy change and National Forest Programs: a Swiss experience of coalitions, external and internal events.” Scandinavian Journal of Forest Research 35 (7): 417-431. DOI: 10.1080/02827581.2020.1817540
Graph View
How committed is the government to protecting the public from environmental health risks?
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9
The government is clearly committed to the goal of protecting environmental health.
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6
The government is largely committed to the goal of protecting environmental health.
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3
The government is only somewhat committed to the goal of protecting environmental health.
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1
The government is not at all committed to the goal of protecting environmental health.
The Health2030 agenda recognizes the multifaceted and complex influence of the environment on health, highlighting the importance of reducing environmental health risks. This includes addressing harmful substances in the air, water and soil, as well as the impacts of ionizing and nonionizing radiation, biodiversity loss and climate change. The strategy acknowledges the need for concrete measures to address these risks at both national and international levels, with a focus on evidence-based policymaking (Health2030, 2017).
The strategy details specific objectives and lines of action for implementation, with Objective 7 explicitly focusing on supporting health through a healthy environment. This includes actions to reduce environmental health risks and to preserve and support nature and landscape quality. These measures are crucial for ensuring that current and future generations enjoy optimal health and benefit from biodiversity and landscape quality (Health2030, 2017).
Health2030 is comprehensive in its approach, addressing various environmental factors that impact public health. It not only focuses on reducing direct health risks but also emphasizes the importance of high-quality natural environments for promoting health and well-being (Health2030, 2017).
The strategy is built upon existing federal and cantonal responsibilities, ensuring that the implementation of the various lines of action aligns with the current legal and policy framework. This approach ensures that the strategy is supported by existing policies and structures, enhancing its effectiveness and feasibility (Health2030, 2017).
The strategy’s progress is monitored using a system of indicators similar to the predecessor strategy, Health2020. This system tracks the evolving context of the health system, ensuring that the strategy’s implementation is effectively monitored and evaluated (Health2030, 2017).
Implementation of Health2030 involves collaboration among federal and cantonal authorities, along with other key stakeholders in public health. The Swiss Conference of Cantonal Ministers of Public Health plays a significant role in deciding the implementation approach. This collaborative and multilevel governance approach ensures that policies are effectively implemented and monitored at both federal and subnational levels (Health2030, 2017).
In summary, the government’s commitment to protecting the public from environmental health risks is evident in the Health2030 strategy, which outlines a clear, comprehensive and collaborative approach toward reducing environmental health risks and promoting public health. The strategy’s implementation is supported by existing policies and legal frameworks, with a structured monitoring system to track progress and ensure effective execution.
Switzerland now has comprehensive legislation on air (LPair), water (LEaux), and soil (LPE) protection. However, this legislation was introduced and has evolved in a rather uncoordinated manner, which led to some monitoring gaps. One recent example is the discovery of serious contamination from dioxins and heavy metals in the city of Lausanne, due to a waste incineration plant placed in an unfavorable topographical site. The belated discovery of the pollution was related to a complex series of factors including the complexity of interaction between levels of governance in monitoring duties (federal-cantonal-municipal), an industrial path-dependency, the lack of independent monitoring agencies at the regional level, the cumulation of planning and controlling activities by the canton, and the institutional uncoupling of health and environmental issues (Moll-François et al. forthcoming 2024). These factors can be extrapolated to other cases.
Citations:
Health2030 – the Federal Council’s health policy strategy for the period 2020–2030. 2017.
Moll-François Fabien, Berthet Aurélie, Breider Florian, Elsig Alexandre, Mavrot Céline. 2024, forthcoming. “La plus vieille usine du monde”: socio-histoire de l’ancien incinérateur du Vallon (1958-2005). EPFL/University of Lausanne/Unisanté.
The strategy details specific objectives and lines of action for implementation, with Objective 7 explicitly focusing on supporting health through a healthy environment. This includes actions to reduce environmental health risks and to preserve and support nature and landscape quality. These measures are crucial for ensuring that current and future generations enjoy optimal health and benefit from biodiversity and landscape quality (Health2030, 2017).
Health2030 is comprehensive in its approach, addressing various environmental factors that impact public health. It not only focuses on reducing direct health risks but also emphasizes the importance of high-quality natural environments for promoting health and well-being (Health2030, 2017).
The strategy is built upon existing federal and cantonal responsibilities, ensuring that the implementation of the various lines of action aligns with the current legal and policy framework. This approach ensures that the strategy is supported by existing policies and structures, enhancing its effectiveness and feasibility (Health2030, 2017).
The strategy’s progress is monitored using a system of indicators similar to the predecessor strategy, Health2020. This system tracks the evolving context of the health system, ensuring that the strategy’s implementation is effectively monitored and evaluated (Health2030, 2017).
Implementation of Health2030 involves collaboration among federal and cantonal authorities, along with other key stakeholders in public health. The Swiss Conference of Cantonal Ministers of Public Health plays a significant role in deciding the implementation approach. This collaborative and multilevel governance approach ensures that policies are effectively implemented and monitored at both federal and subnational levels (Health2030, 2017).
In summary, the government’s commitment to protecting the public from environmental health risks is evident in the Health2030 strategy, which outlines a clear, comprehensive and collaborative approach toward reducing environmental health risks and promoting public health. The strategy’s implementation is supported by existing policies and legal frameworks, with a structured monitoring system to track progress and ensure effective execution.
Switzerland now has comprehensive legislation on air (LPair), water (LEaux), and soil (LPE) protection. However, this legislation was introduced and has evolved in a rather uncoordinated manner, which led to some monitoring gaps. One recent example is the discovery of serious contamination from dioxins and heavy metals in the city of Lausanne, due to a waste incineration plant placed in an unfavorable topographical site. The belated discovery of the pollution was related to a complex series of factors including the complexity of interaction between levels of governance in monitoring duties (federal-cantonal-municipal), an industrial path-dependency, the lack of independent monitoring agencies at the regional level, the cumulation of planning and controlling activities by the canton, and the institutional uncoupling of health and environmental issues (Moll-François et al. forthcoming 2024). These factors can be extrapolated to other cases.
Citations:
Health2030 – the Federal Council’s health policy strategy for the period 2020–2030. 2017.
Moll-François Fabien, Berthet Aurélie, Breider Florian, Elsig Alexandre, Mavrot Céline. 2024, forthcoming. “La plus vieille usine du monde”: socio-histoire de l’ancien incinérateur du Vallon (1958-2005). EPFL/University of Lausanne/Unisanté.
Graph View
How committed is the government to preserving ecosystems and protecting biodiversity?
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The government is clearly committed to protecting ecosystems and biodiversity.
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The government is largely committed to protecting ecosystems and biodiversity.
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The government is only somewhat committed to protecting ecosystems and biodiversity.
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The government is not at all committed to protecting ecosystems and biodiversity.
The Swiss government has established a strategy to safeguard ecosystem vitality and prevent biodiversity loss. This strategy includes goals and a framework to achieve these objectives. The strategy is binding to some extent, as it is based on existing legal frameworks and mandates from federal and cantonal authorities (Strategie Biodiversität Schweiz, 2012).
The strategy has been operationalized through individual action plans targeting specific ecosystems in the air, water and on land. These include pilot projects that ensure the implementation of complex and demanding measures. Examples include initiatives to support sustainable use of moors to mitigate climate change and to enhance biodiversity and landscape qualities in urban areas (Aktionsplan des Bundesrates, 2017).
The strategy and policies are comprehensive, addressing various facets of biodiversity and ecosystem protection. They include the creation of ecological infrastructure, prevention of genetic impoverishment, and building ex situ collections for endangered species and genetic resources (Aktionsplan des Bundesrates, 2017). Additionally, there is a focus on sector-specific strengthening of biodiversity in education and against illegal wildlife trade (Aktionsplan des Bundesrates, 2017).
Existing policies support the strategic efforts focusing on the protection of ecosystem vitality. The strategy is integrated into all environmentally relevant activities pursued by the federal, cantonal and municipal governments, as well as by private entities. The legal foundations on which these policies are based have proven effective, although they may require periodic adjustments to align with the strategy’s evolving needs (Strategie Biodiversität Schweiz, 2012).
The Swiss government monitors biodiversity changes through a coherent system involving various existing programs. Important data sources include Biodiversity and Landscape Monitoring Switzerland, the National Forest Inventory, and others. New selected key metrics are defined as indicators, and the system ensures international comparability of data (Strategie Biodiversität Schweiz, 2012). Regular reports are prepared to assess progress, and a midterm report was planned for 2017 to adjust implementation strategies as needed (Strategie Biodiversität Schweiz, 2012).
The Federal Office for the Environment (BAFU) oversees the implementation of the biodiversity strategy. Implementation is carried out by responsible federal departments, with the involvement of cantonal agencies and, where applicable, the private sector. These bodies are required to report periodically on the state of implementation, ensuring effective execution of government policies. The strategy emphasizes a shared responsibility for biodiversity conservation among federal, cantonal and municipal governments, as well as civil society (Strategie Biodiversität Schweiz, 2012).
However, beyond programmatic strategies, concrete measures are difficult to adopt in a country in which both conventional agriculture and the chemical industry are strong. In 2021, for instance, the Swiss population rejected two initiatives related to pesticides and biodiversity: the Pesticide Initiative and the Drinking Water Initiative. Arguments against the initiatives included the prospects of weakening domestic food production, increasing dependency on food imports and reducing farmers’ incomes (Finger 2021).
Citations:
Bundesrat, S. 2012. “Strategie Biodiversität Schweiz.” www.bafu.admin.ch/ud-1060-d
Aktionsplan des Bundesrates. 2017. Aktionsplan Strategie Biodiversität Schweiz.
Bern.
Bundesamt für Umwelt (BAFU) eds.. 2023. Wirkung des Aktionsplans Biodiversität AP.
SBS. Bern. 2023. 50 S.
Finger, R. 2021. “No Pesticide-Free Switzerland.” Nature Plants 7: 1324-1325. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41477-021-01009-6
The strategy has been operationalized through individual action plans targeting specific ecosystems in the air, water and on land. These include pilot projects that ensure the implementation of complex and demanding measures. Examples include initiatives to support sustainable use of moors to mitigate climate change and to enhance biodiversity and landscape qualities in urban areas (Aktionsplan des Bundesrates, 2017).
The strategy and policies are comprehensive, addressing various facets of biodiversity and ecosystem protection. They include the creation of ecological infrastructure, prevention of genetic impoverishment, and building ex situ collections for endangered species and genetic resources (Aktionsplan des Bundesrates, 2017). Additionally, there is a focus on sector-specific strengthening of biodiversity in education and against illegal wildlife trade (Aktionsplan des Bundesrates, 2017).
Existing policies support the strategic efforts focusing on the protection of ecosystem vitality. The strategy is integrated into all environmentally relevant activities pursued by the federal, cantonal and municipal governments, as well as by private entities. The legal foundations on which these policies are based have proven effective, although they may require periodic adjustments to align with the strategy’s evolving needs (Strategie Biodiversität Schweiz, 2012).
The Swiss government monitors biodiversity changes through a coherent system involving various existing programs. Important data sources include Biodiversity and Landscape Monitoring Switzerland, the National Forest Inventory, and others. New selected key metrics are defined as indicators, and the system ensures international comparability of data (Strategie Biodiversität Schweiz, 2012). Regular reports are prepared to assess progress, and a midterm report was planned for 2017 to adjust implementation strategies as needed (Strategie Biodiversität Schweiz, 2012).
The Federal Office for the Environment (BAFU) oversees the implementation of the biodiversity strategy. Implementation is carried out by responsible federal departments, with the involvement of cantonal agencies and, where applicable, the private sector. These bodies are required to report periodically on the state of implementation, ensuring effective execution of government policies. The strategy emphasizes a shared responsibility for biodiversity conservation among federal, cantonal and municipal governments, as well as civil society (Strategie Biodiversität Schweiz, 2012).
However, beyond programmatic strategies, concrete measures are difficult to adopt in a country in which both conventional agriculture and the chemical industry are strong. In 2021, for instance, the Swiss population rejected two initiatives related to pesticides and biodiversity: the Pesticide Initiative and the Drinking Water Initiative. Arguments against the initiatives included the prospects of weakening domestic food production, increasing dependency on food imports and reducing farmers’ incomes (Finger 2021).
Citations:
Bundesrat, S. 2012. “Strategie Biodiversität Schweiz.” www.bafu.admin.ch/ud-1060-d
Aktionsplan des Bundesrates. 2017. Aktionsplan Strategie Biodiversität Schweiz.
Bern.
Bundesamt für Umwelt (BAFU) eds.. 2023. Wirkung des Aktionsplans Biodiversität AP.
SBS. Bern. 2023. 50 S.
Finger, R. 2021. “No Pesticide-Free Switzerland.” Nature Plants 7: 1324-1325. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41477-021-01009-6
Graph View
To what extent is the government committed and credible in designing and promoting global environmental protection regimes and policies?
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Government policy and institutions are fully aligned with efforts to achieve global environmental sustainability.
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Government policy and institutions are largely aligned with efforts to achieve global environmental sustainability.
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Government policy and institutions are somewhat aligned with efforts to achieve global environmental sustainability.
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Government policy and institutions are not at all aligned with efforts to achieve global environmental sustainability.
The Swiss Federal Council has embedded sustainable development as a state objective in the federal constitution, illustrating a deep-rooted commitment to balancing economic, social and environmental responsibilities. The 2030 SDS, a guiding strategy for federal policy, demonstrates Switzerland’s approach to sustainable development, emphasizing the need for policy coherence and the importance of considering the spillover effects of its national policies on the global environment. This approach ensures that the environmental impacts of Swiss policies – particularly those affecting developing countries – are taken into account and addressed in an integrated manner.
At the heart of Switzerland’s strategy is the focus on three priority areas: sustainable consumption and production, climate energy and biodiversity, and equal opportunities and social cohesion. These areas are interlinked and underscore the necessity of a balanced consideration of sustainability dimensions. The Swiss government recognizes that its actions in these areas have both domestic and international implications. For instance, the commitment to sustainable consumption and production involves not only domestic measures, but also the promotion of sustainable and transparent supply chains globally.
Furthermore, Switzerland’s strategy includes goals and strategic directions for both national and international implementation. These goals, derived from the SDGs and adapted to Switzerland’s national context, are monitored and evaluated regularly. The country engages in international programs to promote sustainable consumption and production patterns and is active in initiatives such as the UN Ten-Year Framework of Programs on Sustainable Consumption and Production Patterns. This international engagement reflects Switzerland’s commitment to collaborative efforts in achieving global environmental sustainability.
On paper, the Swiss approach to environmental protection also involves the corporate sector, particularly multinational corporations headquartered in the country. Switzerland advocates for responsible corporate governance along the value chain, emphasizing the importance of due diligence processes and the sustainability of products and production processes. This approach aims to minimize the negative social, economic and environmental impacts of business activities, both nationally and internationally. However, the rejection of the initiative that would have imposed stronger rules on multinational companies to follow environmental standards, and the strong involvement of economic groups to fight it, shows the gap between the intentions claimed and the concrete contribution of Switzerland to global efforts on protection regimes (see P17).
Global environmental policy is given moderate weight among Switzerland’s foreign policy priorities, and the country has played a role in designing and advancing global environmental-protection regimes. However, as a small country, Switzerland has limited independent influence. The European Union has taken a leading role in this area. Thus, Switzerland’s impact depends in large part upon efficient collaboration with the European Union.
Citations:
Swiss Federal Council. 2021. “2030 Sustainable Development Strategy.” Bern, June 23.
At the heart of Switzerland’s strategy is the focus on three priority areas: sustainable consumption and production, climate energy and biodiversity, and equal opportunities and social cohesion. These areas are interlinked and underscore the necessity of a balanced consideration of sustainability dimensions. The Swiss government recognizes that its actions in these areas have both domestic and international implications. For instance, the commitment to sustainable consumption and production involves not only domestic measures, but also the promotion of sustainable and transparent supply chains globally.
Furthermore, Switzerland’s strategy includes goals and strategic directions for both national and international implementation. These goals, derived from the SDGs and adapted to Switzerland’s national context, are monitored and evaluated regularly. The country engages in international programs to promote sustainable consumption and production patterns and is active in initiatives such as the UN Ten-Year Framework of Programs on Sustainable Consumption and Production Patterns. This international engagement reflects Switzerland’s commitment to collaborative efforts in achieving global environmental sustainability.
On paper, the Swiss approach to environmental protection also involves the corporate sector, particularly multinational corporations headquartered in the country. Switzerland advocates for responsible corporate governance along the value chain, emphasizing the importance of due diligence processes and the sustainability of products and production processes. This approach aims to minimize the negative social, economic and environmental impacts of business activities, both nationally and internationally. However, the rejection of the initiative that would have imposed stronger rules on multinational companies to follow environmental standards, and the strong involvement of economic groups to fight it, shows the gap between the intentions claimed and the concrete contribution of Switzerland to global efforts on protection regimes (see P17).
Global environmental policy is given moderate weight among Switzerland’s foreign policy priorities, and the country has played a role in designing and advancing global environmental-protection regimes. However, as a small country, Switzerland has limited independent influence. The European Union has taken a leading role in this area. Thus, Switzerland’s impact depends in large part upon efficient collaboration with the European Union.
Citations:
Swiss Federal Council. 2021. “2030 Sustainable Development Strategy.” Bern, June 23.