Criticism from our own camp: Climate farmer Vanessa Renfer (46) is suing the federal government

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35 hectares of land, a herd of suckler cows, chickens and grapes for wine production: in Enges, above Neuchâtel, farmer Vanessa Renfer (46) runs a farm with her husband. But now she and other wine growers, fruit and vegetable growers are suing the federal government. He should do more to combat climate change. “We feel every day that climate change affects our work. The harvests are declining and the animals suffer from the heat in the summer.”

Now the federal government must take action. According to their own statements, farmers also feel climate change in their wallets. “The grass harvest has collapsed in the past two years. We must use the reserves planned for the winter in the summer.” Winemaker Yves Batardon (61) from Geneva speaks of tens of thousands of francs less yield in 2022 due to drought.

Criticism from our own camp

But not all farmers support this demand. The designated SVP president, Marcel Dettling (43), recently described climate change in an interview with “NZZ am Sonntag” as “not bad” for farmers. “Suddenly new, high-yielding plant species are growing in our latitudes.”

And Renfer and her colleagues cannot expect any help from the Swiss farmers’ association. There is no doubt that the consequences of climate change are also being felt in Switzerland. But it is up to politicians to find solutions for this. “We cannot understand the one-sided allocation of blame towards the government in this lawsuit,” says the farmers’ association. “We distance ourselves from this legal action.”

The responsible environmental department of Federal Councilor Albert Rösti (56) writes that Switzerland has signed the Paris climate agreement and is adhering to it. The new CO₂The law, which Parliament is currently considering, provides, among other things, funds for adaptation measures that are important for agriculture.

Role model for climate seniors?

Renfer does not deny that an initiative for better climate protection could simply be started in Switzerland. However, she decided to take legal action. “There are different ways to respond to the climate crisis. An initiative costs a lot of time and money. But time is short.”

The approach is reminiscent of the climate seniors who went to the European Court of Human Rights. Their lawyer includes Vaud Green National Councilor Raphaël Mahaim (40). He and several other lawyers also represent the farmers.

While the climate seniors are supported by Greenpeace, the small farmers’ association and the farmers’ union Uniterre, where Renfer works, worked with an association of climate lawyers to draft the lawsuit.

“Of course we hope that a positive judgment from Strasbourg will support the farmers’ concerns,” says Mahaim. The lawyer does not want to rule out that the farmers will go to the Federal Court or even further. “We will fight to the end.”

Source:Blick