Snow on Christmas day is fairly rare across most of Switzerland. Meteo Suisse has compiled a list of snowy Christmas periods (24/25/26 December) at various locations over the 80 years to 2016. When assessing the chance of snow, altitude is a key determinant, so the range is significant in Alpine Switzerland. Over 80 years, the […]
Switzerland’s 2021 motorway vignette unveiled
Every year Switzerland’s motorway vignette is a different colour. This year it’s pale metallic green. Valid from 1 December 2020 until 31 January 2022, the new stickers that must be displayed by anyone using Switzerland’s motorway network will be available at the same CHF 40 price in the usual places: service stations, garages, post offices […]
Government resists call to use banned insecticide to save Swiss sugar beet
The use of a class of insecticides known as neonicotinoids has been restricted in Switzerland since 2018. Neonicotinoids are a class of neuro-active insecticides chemically similar to nicotine developed in the 80s and 90s. They attack the nervous system of insects causing paralysis and death. Their use has been linked to the collapse of the […]
Swiss government wants to extend GMO ban
The use of genetically modified organisms (GMO) is currently banned in Switzerland. Their use was outlawed after a majority of Swiss voters voted in favour of a moratorium on their use in 2005. This moratorium, which expires at the end of December 2021, has been extended three times since 2005. This week, the Federal Council […]
Swiss clocks go back one hour on Sunday
2020 will be extended by one hour this weekend. Early on Sunday 25 October 2020 Swiss clocks go back one hour. Officially, time shifts at 3am. This means you can spend an extra hour in bed and it will be lighter when you get up. On the down side, it will get darker one hour […]
Swiss would pay more for food to cut waste, according to study
After surveying 3,229 people, political science researchers at ETH in Zurich discovered that a majority would pay more for food if it would cut food waste. Switzerland’s population is well aware that food waste is a problem. The vast majority of those surveyed regard food waste as a moral, economic and environmental problem. Most accurately […]
Referendum: whether to make it easier to hunt wolves
Switzerland has laws to protect wild animals. The current rules were introduced in 1986 when there were no wolves. In 1995, wolves started to return to Switzerland. By 2019, there were 80 wolves living in Switzerland and in some places packs have formed. Wolves have attacked sheep and goats and been seen near villages, something […]
Climate activists lose appeal against conviction in Switzerland
On 23 September 2020, twelve climate activists were convicted on appeal at Vaud’s cantonal tribunal. In 2018, the activists entered a branch of the bank Credit Suisse in Lausanne, Switzerland and started playing tennis. Their prank aimed to draw attention to the bank’s investments in companies involved in the fossil fuel industry. Tennis alluded to […]
New overnight trains planned between Switzerland and Amsterdam, Rome and Barcelona
Swiss Rail and ÖBB, the federal train operator in Austria, announced plans this week to join forces to launch new overnight train links. The planned services will include overnight trains between Zurich and Amsterdam, Rome and Barcelona. Demand for such services is on the rise, partly driven by climate change concerns. Taking a train to […]
Swiss government relaxes rules for most polluting cars
Citing the economic effects of the Coronavirus pandemic, Switzerland’s Federal Council has decided to relax measures designed to curb the sale of the most polluting cars in Switzerland. In July 2012, Switzerland introduced regulations on the CO2 emissions of new cars. The rules, which include average fleet emissions limits, apply to any vendor importing more […]
