Scorecard summary:
Fulfilment of Rio Conference Commitment - Yellow
Current Government Position on Climate Change - Yellow
Per Capita Emissions - Green ( 6.38 metric tons per person in 1992)
National CO2 Emissions - Green: (43 million metric tons per year) in
1992.
OVERALL ASSESSMENT:
Lacks political will to do better and show
leadership
NATIONAL CLIMATE PROTECTION GOAL:
At Rio in 1992 Switzerland
announced a
self-imposed target of stabilizing CO2-emissions by the year 2000 at 1990
levels, and
reducing them thereafter. This announcement was based on the Energy 2000
Program
which was launched in 1990/91. More recently (1996) the proposal of the
Federal Government for a CO2 reduction law stipulates a binding
commitment to reduce CO2-emissions by 10 percent until 2010.
SPECIFIC FEATURES:
Switzerland has little energy intensive
industry.
About 85 per cent of the primary energy supply -almost entirely fossil
fuels- is imported. Domestic electricity production results in very low
low greenhouse gas emissions, with 60 per cent from hydroelectricity and
40 per cent from nuclear plants. Switzerland also imports electricity.
The reasons why the federal authorities currently expect Switzerland to
meet its stabilization target for CO2 in 2000 can be partly explained by
the economic depression experienced in the 1990s, and, perhaps, by some
limited success of energy efficiency measures. The latter are based on a
national vote on energy policy in 1990 which led to the Energy 2000
Program and the Decree on Energy Use (to be replaced in 1998 by a new
energy law). In 1990 Swiss voters also decided to in favour of a
moratorium and stop further construction of nuclear power plants for 10
years and currently the debate is heating up on the consequences of an
extended moratorium with no new plants to replace the old ones in the
country.
NEGATIVE FEATURES:
The process of formulation and approval of
national legislation in the country is complex and lengthy. An inherent
uncertainty exists with
regard to how fast policies can be implemented. A good example are the
various and failed attempts to propose and introduce a CO2-tax in recent
years. A deep recession and a general
feeling of uncertainty e.g.with respect to the countrys role and future
in Europe, has paralysed attempts in recent years to stimulate
innovation in the economy and undertake policy measures with positive
impacts on energy efficiency and climate change.
POSITIVE ASPECTS:
The political system, with reference to
referenda to
settle questions, allows for approved popular initiatives to modify the
Federal Constitution. The Alp-Initiative is one of the (rare) success
stories of recent years which has stimulated a remarkable environmental
protection measure. This initiative aims at shifting all trans-alpine
road freight to rail over the next years. There is also a proposed law
which envisages the introduction of a CO2-tax if other measures fail to
achieve specified targets. Two other initiatives will seek to introduce
measures to promote energy efficiency (with an energy tax) and boost the
development and application of renewable energy in the country.
Sources: UNFCCC, Report on the in-depth review of the national
communication of Switzerland, 1996; Independent NGO Evaluations of
National Plans for Climate Change Mitigation, OECD Countries, Third
Review, January 1995; UNFCCC, Swiss Greenhouse Gas Inventory 1990-1994
UNFCCC, Rapport de la Suisse 1994 (the first national communication)