Climate strategy: net-zero target by 30 years from now
The bottom line is that Switzerland should stop emitting greenhouse gases by 2050. This is the long-term climate strategy for Switzerland recently adopted by the Federal Council. The paper sets out the guidelines and strategic goals for the various sectors.
The Federal Council already decided in 2019 that Switzerland should not emit more greenhouse gases by 2050 than natural and technical reservoirs can absorb. With the net zero target, it is taking into account the latest scientific findings of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) that serious consequences for humans and biodiversity can already be expected from an average global warming of 1.5 degrees. As an Alpine country, Switzerland is particularly affected by climate change, as temperatures in this country are rising twice as fast as the global average, as the Federal Council writes.
On January 27, 2021, the Federal Council approved the "Long-term Climate Strategy for Switzerland" prepared by the Uvek. Switzerland is thus fulfilling an obligation under the Paris Agreement. Under this agreement, countries are required to submit their long-term climate strategies to the UN Climate Secretariat by the end of 2020. An important basis for the strategy is formed by the following documents published in the fall of 2020 Energy Perspectives 2050+ of the Federal Office of Energy.
Ten basic strategic principles
The long-term climate strategy formulates ten strategic principles that will shape Swiss climate policy in the coming years. It shows possible developments up to the year 2050 for the sectors buildings, industry, transport, agriculture and food, the financial market, aviation and the waste industry. For each of these sectors, it defines strategic objectives.
The strategy also shows the extent to which emissions that are difficult to avoid are likely to remain by 2050, which will need to be offset with carbon capture and storage (CCS) and negative emission technologies (NET). CCS technologies capture CO2 directly where it is produced by facilities in the industrial and waste sectors. NETs are used for emissions that cannot be captured directly, for example from agriculture. They remove them from the atmosphere and store them permanently.
Transport, buildings and industry: net-zero target is achievable
The long-term climate strategy shows that Switzerland can reduce its greenhouse gas emissions in the transport, buildings and industry sectors by almost 90 percent by 2050. The building sector and transport can become emission-free by 2050, and emissions from energy consumption in industry can also be virtually eliminated. In aviation, sustainable renewable fuels and new propulsion technologies offer potential for emissions reductions. In agriculture and food, emissions can be reduced by at least 40 percent compared to 1990.
In 2050, greenhouse gas emissions of around 12 million metric tons of CO2 equivalents will remain from industry, waste recycling and agriculture. These can be offset with CCS and NET. As an innovative and financially strong country with almost CO2-free domestic electricity production, Switzerland is in a good position to achieve the net-zero target by 2050.
Climate protection costs less than unchecked climate change
The social and economic costs of unchecked climate change far exceed the costs of climate protection measures. The net zero target is therefore also of great economic interest to Switzerland. By moving away from fossil fuels such as oil, gas, gasoline and diesel, Switzerland will also reduce its dependence on foreign countries. Money that currently flows abroad will be invested domestically in the future. This will benefit domestic industry, the Federal Council emphasizes in its press release.
CO2 law forms the foundation
The long-term climate strategy ties in with the revised CO2 Act and its targets. The CO2 Act approved by Parliament in the 2020 fall session is a key prerequisite for achieving the long-term climate target. It is scheduled to come into force in 2022. The law puts Switzerland on track for the climate target of minus 50 percent greenhouse gas emissions by 2030 and sets the course for the net zero target in 2050. Since the CO2 law was subject to an optional referendum, the people will vote on it.
Source: Confederation
More detailed information to the individual sectors Buildings, industry, transport, agriculture and food, the financial market, aviation, and the waste industry. can be taken from the report "Switzerland's long-term climate strategy".
