“The population must not feel that they are being punished”

• Switzerland’s greenhouse gas emissions are expected to fall to net zero by 2050. The Federal Council wants to write this into the constitution – it is a direct counter-proposal to the glacier initiative.
• Unlike the initiative, the Federal Council rejects a ban on fossil fuels being allowed to come into force from 2050.
• The Federal Council also wants consideration to be given to the “special situation in the mountain and peripheral areas”.
• Now it is Parliament’s turn. The glacier initiative will not come to a vote before the end of 2022.

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• 2:55 p.m.

  End – for now

  That was the last journalist question, the media conference on climate policy is over. At 3:30 p.m. Alain Berset informs about the latest resolutions on the corona measures.

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• 2:54 p.m.

  Is that enough?

  In their initial reactions, environmentalists have already made it clear that what the Federal Council is planning is not enough. You have to stick to the tried and tested Swiss approach, said Sommaruga. There is no point in “beating your head in” now. The climate report showed that things should now move forward quickly. But you have to prepare one step after the other, and that is what you do now.

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• 2:51 p.m.

  Transport is an issue everywhere

  The discussions with colleagues from the EU are sometimes heated, especially in the area of ​​mobility. Traffic is a big issue everywhere. “We learn from the EU and the EU learns from us,” says Sommaruga. Switzerland has successful measures, other states are interested in them – that was also an issue during her exchange with the US climate envoy John Kerry.

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• 2.49 p.m.

  What measures are under discussion?

  Can she also say something about which specific measures are already being discussed in the background? She cannot anticipate that, said Sommaruga. But one is talking to actors who have rejected the CO₂ law, but are not against climate protection. In the Swiss system it is normal for people to quickly make a new attempt after a lost vote and look for common ground.

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• 2.47 p.m.

  Specific challenges in the countryside

  Shouldn’t the rural population be taken along with the electrification of mobility? Sommaruga believes that it doesn’t have to be big, it goes by itself. The Federal Council is not only concerned with the problem of public transport in peripheral regions. Charging infrastructure should be available everywhere.

  There are certain specific challenges in rural areas, and they wanted to take these into account. Even when building, one increasingly has to take climate issues into account. “This challenge already applies – in rural and urban areas.” The rejection of the CO₂ law showed that the sensitivities are partly different.

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• 2.43 p.m.

  Afraid of the Oil Lobby?

  The fossil fuels are largely responsible for climate change, the relevant industries are the winners of the sinking of the CO₂ law: Is she afraid of this lobby? Sommaruga explains that she is not afraid, but that it is a realistic long-term strategy. You have to see in which areas it is not possible to do without oil and gas and which replacement strategies exist. It brings negative emissions technologies into play.

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• 2.39 p.m.

  Challenges for the city too

  Urban regions are not mentioned – do you want to give those who have rejected the CO₂ law a treat? Climate change has effects everywhere; at the moment they are more noticeable in rural regions. The challenges will also be great in urban regions, says Sommaruga. But they wanted to take into account some specific needs.

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• 2.37 p.m.

  Fear of the people?

  What makes Sommaruga sweat more: global warming or the fear that the people could again thwart the Federal Council’s climate plans? You do not want to anticipate the discussion, said the environment minister. Your department is now analyzing precisely which circles have said no to the CO₂ law for what reasons, even though they are actually in favor of climate protection. It is a lot of work, but now you have to find ways to get people on board.

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• 2.35 p.m.

  What are the exceptions?

  What are the exceptions for mountain and peripheral regions as well as for the police and the army? Concrete measures would then have to be specified in a law, says Sommaruga. But they wanted to make it clear that these needs would also be taken into account and thus recorded in the constitution. The Federal Council wants to pay close attention to certain areas.

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• 2.33 p.m.

  Coercion?

  How does the Federal Council intend to prevent opponents of the CO₂ law from criticizing the counterproposal as coercion? Sommaruga: According to the legal deadlines, one is obliged to react now to the glacier initiative. She underlines her hope that Parliament will show great commitment.

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• 2:29 p.m.

  Take the population with you

  Shouldn’t Switzerland be more ambitious? Asks a journalist. This question will be discussed at the world climate conference, says Sommaruga. At the moment you have to keep an eye on the net zero target. “It is not for credibility not to do quick exercises.” It is important to involve the population for these measures. One now has to work out a common basis for this.

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• 2:28 p.m.

  Questions from journalists

  According to the alarming latest climate report by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, will the goal of net zero by 2050 be enough? The report has been taken note of, said Sommaruga. But today’s counter-proposal is a reaction to the glacier initiative. Climate policy is not standing still; further findings will be taken into account in future measures.

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• 2:23 p.m.

  Measures also at the legal level

  Two questions arose after the no to the CO₂ law: Should the Federal Council bring another climate policy proposal? The Federal Council had no choice here, it had to comment on the initiative. And don’t we need concrete measures at the legal level rather than goals in the constitution? It takes both, says Sommaruga.

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• 2.20 p.m.

  Glacier initiative goes too far for the Federal Council

  The Federal Council has confirmed its previous position and is sticking to the net zero target. The glacier initiative has the same goal, but goes further in some measures – too far for the Federal Council. That is why the initiative was countered with a direct counter-proposal.

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• 2:18 p.m.

  The media conference begins

  Simonetta Sommaruga sees the no to the CO₂ law on June 13th not as a no to climate protection, but as a no to the specific measures. That is why other suggestions are needed. “The population must not feel that they are being punished when it comes to climate policy,” said Sommaruga. Your department is working on concrete measures that are suitable for everyday use.

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The popular initiative “For a healthy climate (glacier initiative)” aims to anchor climate protection and the objectives of the Paris Agreement of 2015 in the constitution. This requires that, from 2050, Switzerland should not emit more greenhouse gases than natural and technical CO₂ stores can absorb. In principle, fossil fuels such as oil, gas, petrol or diesel should no longer be used in Switzerland.

At its meeting today, the Federal Council decided to counter the initiative with a direct counter-proposal. He passed the relevant message to Parliament.

Like the initiative, the counter-proposal also aims to define net zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050 as a target. However, he does without a fundamental ban on fossil fuels. The Federal Council also wants the constitution to take into account not only social compatibility but also the special situation in mountain and peripheral areas. Because these areas are, for example, less well served by public transport than more urban areas.

And, another deviation from the initiative: the army, police and rescue services should be able to use fossil fuels for protection and rescue operations if necessary.

The Federal Council would also like to leave it open as to whether the greenhouse gas emissions remaining in 2050 should be offset with CO₂ storage in Germany or abroad.

Environment Minister Simonetta Sommaruga will present the Federal Council’s message on this as well as the direct counter-draft with the federal resolution on climate policy. In addition to Sommaruga, Katrin Schneeberger, Director of the Federal Office for the Environment (Bafu), will be on the podium.

Mandate for climate conference in Glasgow adopted

Also on Wednesday it was announced that Switzerland would advocate uniform rules for all contracting states at the conference on the implementation of the Paris Climate Agreement in November. The Federal Council has approved the mandate of the Swiss delegation.

Both Federal President Guy Parmelin and Environment Minister Simonetta Sommaruga will represent Switzerland in Glasgow. The Paris Agreement aims to limit average global warming to well below 2 degrees Celsius compared to pre-industrial times. The aim is to achieve a maximum temperature increase of 1.5 degrees Celsius.

Global target framework for biodiversity

The Federal Council has also decided that Switzerland will campaign for “ambitious, measurable and concise goals” at the 15th Conference of the Parties to the Biodiversity Convention in October. One of the goals is to secure a total of 30 percent of the world’s land for biodiversity by 2030 (“30 by 30”).

The Federal Council has approved the relevant mandate for the Swiss delegation. The conference, which opens on October 11 in Kunming, China, aims to adopt a new global target framework for biodiversity. For Switzerland, Environment Minister Simonetta Sommaruga takes part in the conference virtually.

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