On 18 June 2023, Swiss voters passed a package of emission cutting actions, among them subsidies to incentivise home owners to change fossil fuel heating systems. This week, Albert Rösti, Switzerland’s energy minister, unveiled dates for the expected roll out of the plan, reported SRF. Subsidies should be available from the beginning of 2025. The […]
Rising electric car numbers cut Swiss vehicle emissions
In 2022, 26.1% of newly registered passenger vehicles in Switzerland were plug-in, up 3.6 percentage points from 22.5% in 2021. And the percentage of diesels fell from 17.4% to 11.4%, a drop of 6 percentage points. The percentage of fully electric cars – plug-in vehicles includes hybrids – rose even faster from 13.4% to 17.9%, […]
Recycling upgrade: Switzerland to get milk in PET
Many municipalities in Switzerland do not offer recycling of the box-based packaging typically used for milk in Switzerland. Despite ecological proclamations and a papery look these boxes are a bit of a eco-wolf in environmentally friendly sheep’s clothing. They are made of a composite material that is difficult to separate into its constituent parts making […]
Swiss electricity prices to rise further in 2024
This week, VSE, an electricity association, said pricey electricity markets will likely lead to even higher Swiss electricity prices in 2024. Prices rose on average by 27% (+6 cents/kWh) in Switzerland in 2023. In 2024 VSE expects them to rise by a further 12% (+3 cents/kWh). This would bring the average price to almost 30 […]
Brienz rock slide – residents allowed back into village from Monday
The Swiss village of Brienz and the mountainside above it have been slowly sliding into the valley probably since the ice age. More recently the slope above the village started to move rapidly. On 9 May 2023, village residents were told they must evacuate by 6pm on 12 May 2023. Then during the night of […]
WWF hits out at barbecue meat discounts
Meat for barbecues is often heavily discounted while discounts on plants-based products are relatively rare, according to a study by WWF Switzerland, reported RTS. Animal products benefitted from more frequent and higher discounts, said WWF. Out of 150 products discounted in Switzerland between the end of April and mid-May 2023, 95% were animal products, which […]
Swiss to vote on a plan to cut fossil fuel use
On the 18 June 2023 the Swiss electorate will vote on the Federal Act on Climate Protection Targets, Innovation and Strengthening Energy Security. The question before voters is whether to accept the government’s counter-proposal to the Glacier Initiative, a popular vote formulated in 2018. The original Glacier Initiative was aimed at drastically reducing the use […]
Evacuated rock slide town residents allowed to briefly return
The population of Brienz in the Swiss canton of Graubunden were briefly allowed to return to the town this week after being evacuated on 12 May 2023, reported SRF. Two 90-minute time slots were planned on Wednesday with limits of 30 people at a time, reported the broadcaster. The visits were aimed at enabling the […]
Lake Geneva’s big problem: it’s not mixing
For a lake to remain healthy the water needs to mix regularly. Oxygen rich surface water and nutrient dense bottom water need to mix to maintain a healthy ecosystem. In Lake Geneva mixing, which normally occurs annually, has not happened for 11 years. Without mixing surface water becomes nutrient-poor and there is too little oxygen […]
20 Swiss towns favour 30 km/h speed limits
This week, a Swiss organisation focused on urban transport with 20 members, announced its support for city-wide 30 km/h speed limits, a limit significantly lower than the current standard limit of 50 km/h in urban areas. On 16 May 2023, the organisation, which brings together 20 towns, ranging from Zurich (the largest) to Chiasso (the […]
