Switzerland’s Beznau nuclear power plant, the oldest in the country, has shut down both its reactors due to rising river temperatures, reported SRF. The plant, located in the canton of Aargau, relies on the nearby Aare river for cooling. With the river’s water already warm, further discharge from the facility risked breaching environmental limits. Axpo, […]
Swiss holidays are booming among the Swiss population
Hiking in the Jura, cycling in Valais, dining lakeside in Ticino: Switzerland remains a top destination—especially for the Swiss themselves. Once seen primarily as a tourist destination for foreigners, the country has increasingly become a year-round choice for domestic travellers, according to data published the week by the Federal Statistical Office (FSO). Laura Meyer, chief […]
Human remains found in the Blatten debris
On 24 June 2025, human remains were recovered in Blatten, the Valais mountain village largely destroyed by a catastrophic landslide on 28 May 2025. The discovery was made during a targeted search operation, according to a statement from the Valais Cantonal Police. Then on 26 June 2025, the local police confirmed that the identity of […]
Switzerland expects second hottest June on record
Switzerland is sweltering under a heatwave, with MétéoSuisse forecasting the second-hottest June since records began. Temperatures reached between 32°C and 35°C across the lowlands on Wednesday, prompting a level-two heat alert across much of the country. In Ticino, Geneva and parts of Vaud and Valais, where conditions are more extreme, the alert level has been […]
High fire risk in some parts of Switzerland
Switzerland faces rising wildfire risk and authorities are restricting water use as drought grips parts of the country, reported the Natural Hazards Portal. Several regions in Switzerland have raised their forest fire alert to “considerable” danger and “high” danger, the third and fourth levels on a five-point scale, amid increasingly dry conditions and falling water […]
Swiss public opinion on nuclear energy is shifting
Swiss public opinion on energy is shifting. A small majority now supports reconsidering nuclear power, though concerns about cost, speed, and supply security remain. According to a recent poll by gfs.bern for the Association of Swiss Electricity Companies (AES), 56% of respondents say they are favourable or somewhat favourable to building new nuclear plants. It […]
Alpine regions to face more frequent and intense summer downpours
Torrential summer rainstorms are set to become more common—and more severe—in the Alps. A new study by scientists at the University of Lausanne warns that a 2°C rise in regional temperatures could double the frequency of short, extreme rainfall events in alpine areas. The research, published on nature.com, draws on data from nearly 300 meteorological […]
87% of Swiss traffic delays due to motorway overload
Though they account for just 3% of Switzerland’s road network, motorways carried over 40% of the country’s traffic in 2024. Congestion, too, has grown markedly. In response, the Federal Roads Office (FEDRO) is planning targeted network improvements. Vehicles travelling on Swiss motorways covered a combined 29.8 billion kilometres last year, a modest rise of 0.7% […]
The reasons for Switzerland’s recent air pollution
Much of Switzerland awoke last Sunday beneath a blanket of smog. The skies have since cleared somewhat, but the air remains far from pristine. The sun’s dim appearance, filtered through a whitish haze, was not initially due to Saharan dust, as many might have assumed. Instead, the culprit was smoke from wildfires that have plagued […]
Switzerland faces growing drought risks
Climate-related risks in Switzerland are rising, driven by intensifying summer droughts and higher temperatures. That is the stark warning from a new report published on Thursday by the Federal Office for the Environment (FOEN), which assesses the evolving threats posed by climate change in the country through to 2060. Based on scientific literature and consultations […]
