Swiss approve net-zero climate law

Swiss voters have backed a new law that seeks to accelerate the country’s shift from fossil fuels to renewable energies and reach zero emissions by 2050. The government and all major parties, except for the right-wing Swiss People’s Party, had called to vote in favour of the bill.

The climate vote comes two years after the government’s centrepiece legislative proposal – the CO2 Law –?was narrowly rejected in a nationwide ballot.

Sunday’s results highlighted regional voting differences between French-speaking and most large German-speaking cantons, which supported the new law, and smaller German-speaking cantons in central and eastern Switzerland, where it was rejected.

Almost three-quarters (74%) of voters in canton Geneva backed the law. There were also high scores in cantons Neuchatel (70%), Vaud (69%), Jura (63%), Fribourg (62%) and Valais (55%).

Voters in the German-speaking cantons of Basel City (73%), Zurich (62%) Lucerne (59%), Bern (58%), Zug (57%) and Graubünden (55%) voiced large support. But cantons Uri (57%), Obwalden (56%), Glarus (54%), Appenzell Inner Rhodes (53%) and Nidwalden (53%) all rejected the law.

Multi-pronged climate law

The?new climate and innovation law, approved by parliament in September 2022, aims to kill several birds with one stone: it sets out CO2 emissions milestones to ensure Switzerland meets its international climate commitments and seeks a gradual reduction of imported fossil fuels in favour of Swiss-made renewables to improve energy security.

The law was drawn up as an indirect counterproposal to the so-called Glacier Initiative, and incorporates the main objective of the initiative – namely, for Switzerland to reach net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050.

But the text uses a carrot-not-stick approach: no taxes or compulsory action but instead financial support – CHF3.2 billion ($3.2 billion) over ten years – for homeowners to replace electric, gas or oil heating systems with more climate-friendly systems like heat pumps. Businesses will also be incentivised to invest in green technologies.

The new law was supported by a broad alliance, including most political parties, the government, the cantons, cities and municipalities. And unlike for?the failed CO2 vote in 2021, this time most of the business community and lobby groups like the Swiss business federation (economiesuisse) and environmental groups were behind it.