Summer in Switzerland appears to be running out of steam. Between Wednesday and Thursday, temperatures are set to drop sharply across much of Switzerland, according to Swiss Meteo. In Geneva, the daily high will fall from 26 to 19, in Zurich from 25 to 16 and in Basel from 27 to 18. #MétéoSuisse #meteo L’automne […]
Switzerland heading for third hottest summer on record
According to Swiss Meteo, this summer will probably be Switzerland’s third hottest on record. This year’s average summer temperature will be between 15 and 16 degrees, around 2 degrees higher than the norm between 1981 and 2010, according to the forecaster. The marked rise in summer temperatures is a sign of climate change, according to […]
Is Greta Thunberg’s sea voyage to New York really less polluting than flying?
To avoid the high carbon footprint of flying, Greta Thunberg, the young Swedish climate activist is instead sailing from Europe to New York to attend a global United Nations summit. However, there is a snag. According to the German newspaper Die Tageszeitung, the coming and going of her fellow crew members from New York by […]
Excessive nitrate levels found in Swiss ground water
A recent study found excessive levels of nitrates in 15% to 20% of underground water samples in Switzerland, according to the Federal Office for the Environment (FOEN). Underground water is the source of most of Switzerland’s (80%) drinking water. The data was collected at 600 water testing sites between 2007 and 2017. In 2014, 15% […]
Survey of Swiss politicians shows growing support for extending carbon tax
An analysis of data from Smartvote done by Swiss broadcaster RTS shows how the views politicians hold on a carbon tax on fuel have shifted between 2015 and 2019. When asked whether carbon tax should be extended cover diesel and gasoline 52% of the 73 parliamentarians questioned in 2015 were against the idea. When questioned recently, […]
Lights out – most of Geneva to switch off street lights in September
In addition to making it difficult to see stars, artificial light has a negative effect on the natural biological rhythm of plants and animals. It also affects human health and consumes energy, contributing to greenhouse gas emissions. In response to this the Natural History Museum of Geneva, the Geneva Astronomy Society and others came up […]
Violent debris flow sweeps away two people in a car in Switzerland
Last Sunday, a debris flow following a torrential downpour swept away a car containing a 37 year old man and a 6 year old child, according to various media. CLOSE call with a debris flow in Chamoson, Switzerland today, August 11th! Report: Jérémy Monnet / Météo Mettra – Météo Alpes Suisse France pic.twitter.com/iNQH6hMVI9 — severe-weather.EU […]
Switzerland to test vehicle noise radars
The federal government has allocated CHF 3 billion to fight noisy vehicles, according to the newspaper 20 Minutes. Despite significant investment in sound barriers and quieter road surfaces, many residents continue to lodge noise complaints, a third of them related to noisy cars and motorcycles. To combat the problem the Federal Office for the Environment […]
Sharp rise in stand up paddle accidents in Switzerland
Last year, there were around 500 recorded stand up paddle injuries in Switzerland according to the insurer SUVA, one of Switzerland’s largest accident insurers. Since 2015, the number of injuries has more than doubled. Most accidents result in leg and foot injuries (47%), followed by injuries to hands and fingers (25%), the waist and behind […]
Luzern may tax buses to reduce strain of mass tourism
Every year Luzern receives around 9.4 million visitors, or roughly 25,000 a day, according to a university study. Tourism is putting a strain on the city, bringing traffic to a standstill and creating crowds in public spaces. In addition, many visitors arrive on buses, tour the town, and leave without spending a night, which generates […]
