Swiss climate policy
Swiss targets for the Paris conference
Switzerland was the first country to announce the targets for the Paris conference: a decrease of 50% of greenhouse gases by 2030, with at least 30% in Switzerland (reference year : 1990).
50% sounds good... but the target of 30% in Switzerland is not very ambitious. The CO2 law already includes a decrease of 20% by 2020, therefore we ask that Switzerland aims for a domestic decrease of at least 50% by 2030, i.e. about 3% per year.
The target is realistic:
- the European Union and Norway are aiming for 40%. As a rich country, Switzerland has the means to be ambitious.
- the Energy 2050 scenario shows a diminution of 50% of emissions by 2035 is possible.
Once all countries have informed UNFCCC of their planed greeenhouse gas emission decrease, they will calculate if the total is sufficient to limit global warming to 2 degrees. It's very probable that more pledges for decreases will be needed.
We ask the Conseil Fédéral to fix more ambitious objectives for the Paris conference: a decrease of 60% of emissions by 2030, with at least 50% directly in Switzerland.
To reduce Switzerland's greenhouse gas emissions as pledged in the Paris climate treaty, the Conseil fédéral has proposed a new version of the loi CO2.
Energ
y
2050
Switzerland has a very complete study on the green energy transition - reduction of greenhouse gas emissions and a progressive abandon of nuclear energy : the project Energy 2050, and the Energy law currently discussed at the Conseil des Etats (Swiss parliament).
The study on which the project is based concludes that it's possible to diminish greenhouse gas emissions by 75% by 2050, and presents some scenarios to achieve this goal.
The project includes some pratical steps to reduce our energy consumption and encourage renewable energies:
- Reinforcement of subventions for the energy renovation of old buildings
- Limit of CO2 emissions for new cars to 95 grams per kilometer by 2020
- Efficiency goals for electicity producers
- Increase of the maximal supplement on the price of electricy, used to encourage renewable energies
- ...
The law was accepted by the Conseil national and the Conseil des Etats, but with important changes. The final project was approved in a referendum by 58% of swiss citizens on the 21st of May 2017.
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