Switzerland must achieve carbon neutrality by 2050, by law

A 2021 referendum in Switzerland failed, one which would have introduced measures to limit emissions of carbon dioxide, the main gas responsible for the greenhouse effect and global warming. Recently, however, through another referendum held on 18 June, the country approved a bill that requires it to reduce its use of fossil fuels and to achieve carbon neutrality by 2050, which involves removing from the atmosphere a quantity of carbon dioxide equivalent to that emitted into the atmosphere. In particular, the “yes” votes triumphed with 59.1%, against a turnout of 42% of voters.

Carbon neutrality is a target that more and more countries and companies are attempting to achieve in order to combat climate change and respect the 2015 Paris Climate Accords. This measure not only refers to removing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, but also other greenhouse gases such as methane and nitrous oxide from fertilisers. Furthermore, not all greenhouse gases contribute to global warming in the same way: the “weight” of methane, for example, is 25 times greater than carbon dioxide, even if it stays in the atmosphere for a much shorter time.

The bill approved by the Swiss referendum originates from the “Glacier Initiative”, which involved a series of drastic measures to combat the climate crisis that has caused a reduction in Swiss glaciers by around one third between 2001 and 2022. The new law imposes an increase in the production of renewable energy and, at the same time, a reduction in oil and gas imports. For sectors that cannot avoid emitting greenhouse gases, such as agriculture and waste incinerators, CO₂ capture and storage technologies are envisaged.

Critics of the bill, supported by nearly all the main Swiss parties, claim that it will lead to an increase in energy costs, as well as supply problems, and state that Switzerland already currently imports around 70 percent of the energy consumed in the country. The referendum also led to the introduction of a minimum tax rate of 15 percent for huge multinationals.