“We absolutely must do more”: climate activists plan a new popular initiative

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It was a success for the initiators of the glacier initiative. Last summer, Switzerland voted in favor of the climate protection law with 59 percent of the votes. This anchors Switzerland’s goal of being climate neutral by 2050 – and provides billions in financing, including for the replacement of climate-damaging oil and gas heating systems. The money should start flowing next year.

Parliament drafted the new law as a counter-proposal to the glacier initiative, which was supported by the Swiss Climate Protection Association. Now the association is planning its next project, with which it wants to shake up politics. The association says they want to further promote climate policy in Switzerland with a new popular initiative.

Everything is still open

The club itself does not yet know what this is about. He starts looking for ideas with an initial survey. Should we focus on agriculture? The industry? Or maybe live again? And is there a need for tax incentives, subsidies or a ban?

Everything is possible. “The problem is not that there are too few ideas. What is missing is the political will,” said Oliver Daepp, director of the Swiss Climate Protection Association. The purpose of the participatory process is to arouse the desire to help shape politics. The aim is to produce a concrete proposal in dialogue with the population and experts by the end of the year that is worth further development. The further process is open.

“It happens too little and too slowly”

Because what is certain, says Daepp: “What has been done so far is not enough. It happens too little and too slowly.” He points out that 2023 was the warmest year globally since records began – by far. Time is running out. If we don’t go further now, the manager warns, we will miss the goals that Switzerland has set itself with the Climate Protection Act. In this case, the joy of last summer’s voting success would be short-lived.

Source:Blick