This week, Zurich City’s executive tore up an agreement between opposing political camps on parking, according to RTS. The agreement, known as the “Parkplatzkompromiss” which came into force in 1996, was a simple agreement to maintain the status quo. No new parking would be added and no existing parking would be taken away. Now, with […]
More than 100 members of Extinction Rebellion convicted in Switzerland
In September 2019, groups of people belonging to the environmental protest group Extinction Rebellion blocked two road bridges in Lausanne. Local police cleared the bridges by removing, in some cases carrying, protesters away. On 7 November 2019, 117 of the people involved in the bridge protests were convicted and fined for breaking Switzerland’s penal code, […]
Worried about flying? Geneva Airport’s CEO is listening
By Scott Poynton With the world finally waking up to the reality of climate change, flying is increasingly coming in for a bad rap. Planes put a lot of carbon into the atmosphere. Greta Thunberg chose to sail across the Atlantic last month to attend the New York climate bash because she wanted to avoid […]
Swiss parliamentary commission supports fuel tax hike
The parliamentary environmental commission has endorsed a plan to increase the taxes on fuel in Switzerland. Following support for a fuel tax increase by the Council of States, Switzerland’s upper house, the commission said it supports a rise of 10 cents a litre until 2024 and 12 cents a litre from 2025. These increases are […]
Climate change could cause a billion francs of infrastructure damage a year in Switzerland
Climate change could soon cost Switzerland up to a billion francs a year in damage to infrastructure, according to an estimate by Switzerland’s Federal Department of the Environment, Transport, Energy and Communications (DETEC). Between now and 2050, higher temperatures and irregular rainfall could reduce the amount of electricity produced by Switzerland’s hydroelectric infrastructure by several […]
Referendum to ban tobacco advertising in Switzerland reaches 100,000 signatures
An initiative demanding a ban on tobacco advertising has collected 109,969 valid signatures, more than the 100,000 minimum required to launch a popular vote, according to RTS. The planned vote entitled: “Yes to the protection of children and young people against tobacco advertising” demands the federal government ban all forms of tobacco advertising towards children […]
Record numbers protest for climate action in Swiss capital
According to protest organiser Climate Alliance, between 60,000 and 100,000 people gathered in Bern, Switzerland’s capital, last week to urge greater action on climate change. Climate Alliance, says it represents 80 environmental organisations. 100'000 !#Berne #ClimatDeChangement #ClimateAction #ClimateJustice pic.twitter.com/Yl7ge9PNHi — Alliance Climatique Suisse (@alliance_climat) September 28, 2019 Local police did not want to comment on […]
Flight shame and taxes could halve growth in passenger numbers, says UBS
A recent report based on a survey of 6,000 people by the Swiss bank UBS suggests growth in the number of people taking to the skies could halve as people choose to fly less, according to various news media including the BBC. 21% of those surveyed across the UK, France, Germany and the US said […]
New taxes on flights and fuel accepted by Swiss upper house
A majority of the Council of States, Switzerland’s upper house, recently agreed to raise the tax on fuel and introduce a tax on flights. The plan was accepted by 37 of the 41 members who voted, according to 20 Minutes. To honour its commitment to the Paris climate agreement, Switzerland needs to cut greenhouse gas […]
The Swiss drone that could generate more electricity than a wind turbine
TwingTec, a company spun out of Empa, the Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Science and Technology, is developing an alternative to wind turbines for harnessing the power of the wind. Wind speeds increase as you move further from the ground. Wind blows up to eight times faster at a height of 500 metres than it […]
