Achieving climate targets with increased innovation support
The Swiss Climate Foundation wants to contribute to the achievement of the climate goals of Switzerland and Liechtenstein with an intensified innovation support program. It can also count on new partners from 2022.
The Swiss Climate Foundation will focus its funding on climate innovations in the future. From 2022, its funding will flow exclusively into innovation projects by Swiss and Liechtenstein SMEs that benefit the climate. "If Switzerland and Liechtenstein want to achieve their climate targets, the entire industry must be decarbonized. To make this possible, new solutions are needed, especially in the building sector, mobility and agriculture. We are doing our part by providing even greater support for innovative technologies and projects in these areas," says Vincent Eckert, Managing Director of the Swiss Climate Foundation.
Decarbonization of the economy as a major goal
Programs such as the promotion of energy efficiency measures or contributions to the federal government's Voluntary Energy Efficiency Agreement, on the other hand, will not be extended. They expired as planned at the end of 2021. Since new programs have also been created by SwissEnergy and the cantons in the meantime, the Swiss Climate Foundation is withdrawing from further support programs. According to Vincent Eckert, the focus will now be exclusively on promoting scalable climate protection innovations by SMEs. This will enable the necessary climate transformation to be driven forward in a concrete way.
Since its establishment in 2008, the Swiss Climate Foundation has already supported over 150 innovation projects with around 16 million Swiss francs, benefiting not only SMEs but also the competitiveness of Switzerland and Liechtenstein as a business location.
Achieving climate targets - with new partnerships
The promotion of climate innovations is only possible thanks to partner companies. This is how it works: Since January 2008, the federal government has levied a CO2-tax on fossil fuels. A portion of these levies flows back to the economy. Service companies in particular usually receive more back than they have paid. The partner companies donate these funds out of conviction to the joint foundation, which in turn uses them to promote climate protection measures by SMEs.
In the meantime, almost 30 partner companies are contributing to the foundation. In recent weeks, the Zug Cantonal Bank, the furniture, Union Bancaire Privée (UBP) and LGT Capital Partners to the initiative, and as early as the summer of 2021, the Baloise Group entered into a cooperation with the foundation. "The joint appearance of the partner companies for the climate - across industry and association boundaries - is also a strong sign for the public of corporate responsibility that strengthens people's trust in the economy," says Thomas Hügli, Chairman of the Foundation Board, underlining the importance of the Swiss Climate Foundation.
Source and further information: Climate Foundation Switzerland
