After yes to climate protection, there are more disputes pending: here the climate gossip goes into the next round

With the Yes to the Climate Protection Act, the electorate confirmed the net zero target by 2050. Switzerland thus paves the way to a largely fossil-free future. The law is rather vague about how the goal should be achieved concretely.

So much: 3.2 billion francs in additional financing will become available in the coming years. For example, to replace oil and electric heaters. Or for “innovative climate-friendly technologies” in industry. But that will not be enough to become carbon neutral.

The next big thing is the law “on a safe power supply from renewable energy sources” – the so-called energy mantle decree. In 2050, energy consumption per capita must be reduced by 53 percent. More electricity is needed to meet the climate targets – for heat pumps or electric cars, for example. Therefore, the expansion of renewable energy needs to be accelerated enormously, especially in view of the winter months.

By 2050, hydropower is expected to provide 39.2 terawatt hours of electricity annually. To this end, 15 hydropower projects were defined at a round table. The remaining renewable sources are expected to provide 45 terawatt hours. For comparison: in 2022, no less than 57 terawatt hours of electricity were consumed in Switzerland.

Many points are still controversial. For example, the National Council wants larger parking spaces in construction zones to be covered with solar systems, which the Council of States rejects. The Council of States has also removed the solar obligation for all new buildings from the law.

The proposal must be fully discussed in the autumn session, but no later than in the winter session. A referendum is likely. Then in 2024 the next big energy vote will take place.

The new CO comes in the fall session₂-A law in the Council of States that is intended to lay down the measures for the years 2025 up to and including 2030. The Federal Council wants to halve greenhouse gas emissions by 2030 compared to 1990. After the last proposal failed at the ballot box in 2021, the state government is now counting on a colorful bouquet of support measures instead of new taxes.

The federal government wants to invest about 4.1 billion Swiss francs in climate protection. 2.8 billion will flow in the construction sector alone. EUR 800 million has been earmarked for the transport sector, for example for the expansion of the charging infrastructure for electric cars or the promotion of international train connections. In addition to the CO₂– Target values ​​tightened for car import.

In the event of a referendum, the referendum would have to take place in 2024 for the law to come into force in 2025.

Signatures are currently being collected for four popular climate protection initiatives. The SP and the Greens advocate a climate fund into which 0.5 to 1 percent of the gross domestic product – good for about 3.5 to 7 billion francs – should flow annually in 2050.

De Juso wants to finance a “social climate policy” with an inheritance tax. Their citizens’ initiative demands that half of the estate of more than 50 million Swiss francs be confiscated by the state and used to fight the climate crisis.

“Electricity for everyone always” calls for an initiative from a right-wing committee. It states that “all climate-friendly forms of electricity generation must be possible” – with the initiators aiming for nuclear energy.

The popular initiative “Every household and sustainable kilowatt hour counts!” set an accent with winter electricity. For example, national interests must prevail over other national interests when it comes to adding electricity if Switzerland has to import too much electricity in winter.

The aggregate deadline for all four initiatives is 2024.