- Title: Climate law divides Swiss voters ahead of referendum
- Date: 16th June 2023
- Summary: BERN, SWITZERLAND (JUNE 13, 2023) (REUTERS) (SOUNDBITE) (French) NATIONAL COUNCILLOR FOR THE SWISS GREEN PARTY, DELPHINE KLOPFENSTEIN BROGGINI, SAYING: “For me, it’s the minimum that Switzerland needs to do today. Three years ago, we missed the CO2 law, we must move forward today with this climate law, which really sets goals that are compatible with what our neighbour
- Embargoed: 30th June 2023 09:13
- Keywords: Swiss carbon emissions climate fossil fuels law referendum vote
- Location: GENEVA, BERN, MORTERATSCH GLACIER, LAKE MUTTSEE, MUEHLEBERG, ZURICH, GOTTHARD PASS, OBERGOMS, LINTHAL, NEAR NUFENEN PASS AND FINHAUT, SWITZERLAND
- City: GENEVA, BERN, MORTERATSCH GLACIER, LAKE MUTTSEE, MUEHLEBERG, ZURICH, GOTTHARD PASS, OBERGOMS, LINTHAL, NEAR NUFENEN PASS AND FINHAUT, SWITZERLAND
- Country: Switzerland
- Topics: Europe,Government/Politics,Elections/Voting
- Reuters ID: LVA003029215062023RP1
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: The Swiss government hopes voters will support a draft climate law aiming to cut emissions to net zero by 2050 as it seeks to comply with its global commitments after an earlier attempt failed.
The 2021 climate law that included new tax levies was rejected as too costly. The proposal being voted in Sunday's (June 18) referendum uses 3.2 billion Swiss francs ($3.59 billion) from the general budget over 10 years to urge firms and consumers to switch to renewables.
Bern backs the law as do three of Switzerland's four main parties with only the right-wing people's party (SVP) opposing.
But the messages from the latter, which is the leading parliamentary force and has two seats in the seven-member ruling coalition including minister of energy and environment, have gained traction in the last month with support standing at around 56% in early June, according to a Tamedia poll.
Switzerland is warming at around twice the global rate, melting once-mighty glaciers and creating new rockfall risks. Yet, its policies are deemed "insufficient" by Climate Action Tracker. Facing pressure to act, Bern has previously said direct democracy limits its options.
Campaigning for Sunday's referendum is intense. Both camps say energy security is at stake in a country that relies on imports, with hydropower falling during the high-demand winter months and supplies stretched by the Ukraine war.
SVP posters show a red fist tearing a plug from its socket: "To pay even more? No to the law on wasting electricity."
Pierre-André Page, an SVP lawmaker, called the law "dangerous." He said it would lead to more costs and restrictions - an assertion the other side denies.
The law's proponents urge voters to "protect what counts" in posters showing snowy mountains. In May, they held a farewell ceremony in a rocky valley beneath the diminished Morteratsch glacier to raise awareness.
(Production: Cecile Mantovani. Emma Farge) - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
- Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2023. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
- Usage Terms/Restrictions: None