Last weekend, 63% of voters in the canton of Zurich confirmed a government decision to phase out heating oil and gas heating in the canton.
Laws passed by the cantonal government in 2014 to ban the installation of heating oil and gas heating in new and old buildings proved unpopular with some. Aiming to overturn these laws, a group, supported by the local branch of the Swiss People’s Party (UDC/SVP) and the local home owners association, launched a vote against the government’s plan. However, the initiative failed to draw enough opposition to overturn it.
The law requires anyone replacing a heating oil or gas heating system to install a modern low emission system, therefore preventing anyone with oil or gas heating upgrading to a new oil or gas system. At the same time the government plan invests in subsidising the switch to clean energy. Installing diesel and gas systems in new buildings is also banned. Heating oil and gas heating accounts for around 40% of the canton’s emissions.
Those against the plan argued that a ban is excessive and will increase costs for tenants and homeowners, while the government argued that the available clean heating alternatives are economically advantageous over the long term and should be required in the face of climate change.
In Switzerland, when tenants move out landlords typically renovate and raise rents. Opponents to the government’s plan argued that cost of heating upgrades will be passed on via rent increases.
So far roughly half of Switzerland’s 26 cantons have tightened regulations on building heating. However, some cantons have resisted. Voters in Bern, Aargau and Solothurn recently rejected plans similar to Zurich’s.
More on this:
Zurich press release (in German)
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Ferrel says
The use of the term diesel is technically incorrect. This may have occurred due to an inappropriate translation. Diesel fuel is not used for domestic heating. On-board diesel is sometimes used for the heating of vehicles particularly camping cars.
Mazut (mazout in French) is a heavy, low quality fuel oil, used in power plants and similar applications. In the United States and Western Europe, by using FCC or RFCC processes, mazut is refined with the end product being diesel.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mazut
Mazout in French (mazut in German?) would normally be translated as heating oil.
Si vous voulez parler spécifiquement de mazout en anglais, il vous faudra utiliser les mots « fuel-oil » ou « heating oil ».
https://www.mazout-on-line.be/fr/actualites/astuces-et-conseils/fioul-fuel-mazout-gasoil-de-chauffage-quelles-differences/
Le News says
Thank you. We’ve now corrected this.